Two New Studies Confirm Trasylol Risks
The heart surgery drug, Trasylol, increases the risk of death and kidney damage in patients, two new studies have confirmed.
Trasylol (aprotinin) is given to patients undergoing coronary artery bypass surgery to control bleeding. The drug entered the U.S. market in 1993, but sales were suspended in November because of the drug’s potential risks.
Study Reveals Long-Term Risks
In a 10,000 patient study, researchers found that patients given Trasylol had a 32% increased risk of death compared with those who were not given any medication and a 27% increased risk compared to those who were given aminocaproic acid, which is also used to control bleeding.
Research showed this heightened risk to continue over the long-term. Dr. Andrew Shaw, a professor at Duke University and lead author of the study, said that the follow-up period was as long as a decade.
Shaw said the study also confirmed Trasylol’s increased kidney risks. “There does appear to be an association between continued use of aprotinin and reduced kidney function,” he said.
Short-Term Risks Too
The second study looked at the data of more than 78,000 bypass surgery patients who were given Trasylol or aminocaproic acid to limit bleeding. The short-term death risk in patients given Trasylol was 64% higher than in patients given aminocaproic acid, the study showed.
Researchers also found that patients in the Trasylol group had an increased need for kidney dialysis.
The study was conducted by physicians at Harvard Medical School and Brigham and Women’s Hospital.