TXA helps stop bleeding in and around the brain when blood vessels have been torn.
A large international study in The Lancet now suggests it improves patient survival rates if given early enough. It cannot undo damage but can stop smaller bleeds becoming worse.
The study, led by the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine, involves patients with isolated brain injury. It showed there was a small difference in outcome for those who had 'mild' and 'moderate' injury who were treated with TXA compared with those who weren't given the drug.
Using complex statistics, it showed that approximately 20 less deaths occur per 1,000 injured TBI individuals if treated with TXA and recommends that ambulance/emergency treatment protocols should be changed to include administrating to drug to isolated brain injuries not just patients with multiple injuries.
However, the study states that there is no noticeable benefit in providing TXA to those with severe brain injury and the method used to create the statistics doesn’t take into account a number of variables.
Peter McCabe, Chief Executive of Headway, said: “Every three minutes someone in the UK is admitted to hospital with a head injury so it is encouraging to hear the findings of this study and the potential for TXA to help people.
“While this study does not demonstrate lives will be saved following severe brain injury, we know that patients with mild to moderate brain injuries can suffer complications where TXA may be beneficial.
“It’s also important to recognise that improvements in acute care have to be match by investment in rehabilitation. Put simply, a life worth saving has to be a life worth living.”Back
