Assessing the clinical utilization of tranexamic acid by paramedics for patients with major trauma (ACUTE)

Abstract

Objectives: This study aimed to characterize the clinical utilization of tranexamic acid (TXA) by paramedics in British Columbia (BC) for acute major trauma and to quantify the percentage of patients who received TXA among those who met the indications for administration. Methods: A quality assurance review of eligible trauma patients across the province was performed using a convenience sample. Trauma patients between April 1, 2016 and March 31, 2017 with suspected or actual hemorrhage were selected if they met inclusion criteria (systolic blood pressure < 90 mm Hg ± heart rate > 120 beats per minute) and exclusion criteria (age < 16 years, injuries exclusively to the extremities). Results: 35 of the 100 eligible patients assessed in this review received a dose of TXA from paramedics. All 35 of the patients received TXA within 180 min of injury regardless of their original location of injury in BC (mean: 50 min; range: 15–140 min). Conclusions: 35% of eligible patients identified in this study received TXA, which is an improvement over rates cited by previous Canadian literature. With further education opportunities for paramedics in BC and other EMS systems, there is potential to continue improving pre-hospital TXA administration rates.