Study raises concerns about Trasylol heart surgery drug
The latest Trasylol study which was published in the Journal of the American Medical Association reveals that the drug appears to increase the risk of dying by nearly 50 percent in the five years following heart surgery.
The international study tracked 3,876 heart bypass surgery patients in 62 medical centers around the world. Over five years, 20.8 percent of the Trasylol patients died compared to 12.7 percent of patients who did not receive an anti-bleeding drug. Adjusting for various factors, the researchers found that patients receiving Trasylol had a 48 percent increased risk of dying in the five years afterward.
The lead author of the study, Dr. Dennis Mangano, advises patients to discuss with their treating doctor what anti-bleeding drug they might be given during their heart surgery and the associated risks. Past patients should also look into whether they were given Trasylol so they and their doctors can monitor for any problems. "I believe that for the vast majority of coronary bypass patients the drug should not be used," Mangano stated.
The researchers said that replacing Trasylol (Aprotinin) with one of the other cheaper medications would prevent 10,000 deaths over a five year period. Bayer has stated it will "work with regulatory agencies and external experts in the field to further evaluate the findings."
