The use of antibrinolytics for prevention of massive haemorrhagic events and deterioration during the perioperative course of a patient is a routine practice in many cardiac centres nowadays. Following the withdrawal of the most powerful antifibrinolytic agent aprotinin, attention of the clinical practitioners is focused on tranexamic acid.
This article summarizes the beneficial and underirable effects of tranexamic acis and other antifibrinolytics used in cardiac surgery.