How Do Antifibrinolytic Agents Work?

Antifibrinolytic agents are drugs that prevent fibrinolysis or lysis of blood clots. They prevent or treat heavy bleeding following surgery and trauma.

These drugs promote blood clotting by preventing the breakdown of fibrin, the main protein involved in a blood clot. The formation of a clot depends upon several substances called clotting factors. These clotting factors activate each other leading to a clotting cascade. At the end of this clotting cascade, fibrinogen, a soluble plasma protein, is cleaved into fibrin, a nonsoluble plasma protein. The fibrin proteins stick together forming a clot to prevent blood loss.

Antifibrinolytic agents prevent the breakdown of fibrin into a protein called plasmin. Thus, they promote blood clotting to reduce blood loss.

Antifibrinolytic agents are used to prevent or treat heavy bleeding following:

• Surgery
• Trauma
• Fibrinolytic bleeding
• Thrombocytopenia

These agents are also prescribed for:

• Dental extraction in people with hemophilia
• Fibrinogen deficiency

The most common side effects of antifibrinolytic agents include:

• Allergic reactions
• Nausea
• Fever
• Headache
• Chills
• Shortness of breath
• Rash
• Vomiting
• Formation of clots in the lungs and veins
• Confusion
• Blurred vision
• Edema
• Stroke
• Abdominal pain
• Itching
• Renal failure
• Diarrhea
• Syncope (temporary loss of consciousness)
• Irregular heart rate

The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible side effects, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. Check with your doctor or pharmacist to make sure these drugs do not cause any harm when you take them along with other medicines. Never stop taking your medication and never change your dose or frequency without consulting your doctor.

Generic and brand names of antifibrinolytic agents include:

• Amicar
• Aminocaproic acid
• Aprotinin
• Cyklokapron
• Fibrinogen, human
• Fibryga
• Lysteda
• Riastap
• Tranexamic acid injection
• Tranexamic acid oral
• Trasylol