Heart Surgery Drug Trasylol and Kidney/Heart Failure

Two studies have linked Trasylol drug injections to serious complications of kidney failure, deadly heart problems and brain disease. The FDA has issued a Public Health Warning and initiated further research into the drug's benefits and risks.



In one study the Ischemia Research and Education Foundation examined 4,374 heart surgery patients worldwide and found that those on Trasylol doubled their risk of developing kidney failure, and more than doubled their risk of heart failure. Patients also had a 181% increased risk of stroke. Many consumers and health officials blame the drug for patients having to use kidney dialysis and even for patient deaths.

A whistleblower alerted the FDA to problems with Trasylol and the FDA subsequently announced, in September 2006, that Bayer had failed to reveal the results of the study that showed Trasylol was linked to an increased risk of death and stroke.

Bayer claimed they did not disclose the study to the FDA because the results were "preliminary" and then took the unusual action of suspending two employees who were supposedly responsible for hiding the study from the FDA.

Lysosine analogues, aminocaproic acid and tranexamic acid can be used as safe alternatives to using Trasylol. Trasylol is ten times more expensive than generic lysosine analogues. Studies show that using one of the alternative generic drugs would prevent as many as 11,000 dialysis complications annually, would save $1 billion in dialysis costs, and would reduce the cost of blood controlling drugs by $250 million.