Effects of Tranexamic Acid in Reducing Blood Loss in Patients Undergoing Coronary Artery Bypass Surgery: A Systematic Review

Tranexamic acid is a medication typically used to prevent excessive blood loss in the setting of trauma, surgery, and menstrual cycles. Administration of tranexamic acid within the first three hours of trauma has been shown to reduce blood loss and mortality in patients. [1] Tranexamic acid is also commonly used during heavy menstrual bleeding or postpartum hemorrhage cases in which administration has been shown to reduce bleeding in patients. [2] Although there have been studies conducted on the effects of tranexamic acid on blood loss during various surgeries, this systematic review aims to understand the effects specifically on patients undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), a common procedure known to have significant blood loss. A systematic review using the PubMed database on the use of tranexamic acid in blood loss for patients undergoing CABG was conducted with the hypothesis that tranexamic acid administration reduces perioperative and postoperative blood loss. This systematic review includes 8 papers from the years 1997-2018 which report on a total of 712 patients. Although significant large, randomized, control studies on the topic are still pending, this systematic review of studies conducted thus far can conclude that tranexamic acid has a positive effect on reducing blood loss in patients undergoing CABG.