Aprotinin. A review of its pharmacology and therapeutic efficacy in reducing blood loss associated with cardiac surgery
Abstract
Patients undergoing cardiac surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) experience transient haemostatic defects as a result of adverse changes to their blood components, blood cells and specific coagulation proteins. Aprotinin is a naturally occurring serine protease inhibitor isolated from bovine lung tissue which inhibits kallikrein and plasmin. A high dose aprotinin regimen (aprotinin 280mg loading dose over 20 to 30 minutes after anaesthesia induction followed by 70 mg/h for the duration of the operation and 280mg added to the priming fluid of the CPB circuit) has been used during CPB in order to reduce perioperative bleeding. Recent clinical trials confirm the efficacy of high dose aprotinin in reducing blood loss and transfusion requirements associated with primary cardiac procedures such as coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) or heart valve replacement surgery. High dose aprotinin is also effective in procedures known to possess a high risk for excessive blood loss, such as repeat CABG or heart valve replacement surgery, cardiac surgery in patients with infective endocarditis, or in patients receiving aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid) before surgery. Studies indicate that low dose aprotinin (280mg added to CPB pump prime flu...Continue Reading
Citations
Design of synthetic bactericidal peptides derived from the bactericidal domain P(18-39) of aprotinin
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