Trasylol (generic aprotinin) is administered by injection during complex operations to reduce bleeding. It reduces bleeding by slowing down a process known as fibrinolysis, which prevents the formation of blood clots. Its use is intended to minimize the need for blood transfusions and organ damage due to low blood pressure resulting from considerable blood loss.
An October 2007 FDA statement that compared Trasylol to other antifibrinolytic drugs, showed the drug to have a higher risk of death, and a Canadian study showed that the drug increased the risk of death when used to prevent bleeding during heart surgery. Following this report, Bayer A.G., the manufacturer of Trasylol, announced it was withdrawing aprotinin from the market.
In an article entitled, “Mortality Associated With Aprotinin During 5 Years Following Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery,” which was published in the February 7, 2007, edition of the Journal of the American Medical Association, researchers assert that Trasylol may raise patients’ risk of death, within five years after the drug has been administered, by almost 50%.
If you or a loved one received Trasylol during a surgical procedure, you should be concerned about the serious risks involved with this drug.
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