Controversial drug Trasylol that is used world-wide as a heart-surgery medicine is once again amid controversies, as a new study holds Trasylol responsible for long-term risk of dying by nearly 50%. In the words of Dr. Dennis T. Mangano of the foundation and lead author of the study, ‘I would use this drug as a last resort.’
According to the report, hurling fresh controversy, if the use of this drug is avoided for the next five years then about 10,000 deaths could be avoided. Interestingly, this report about Trasylol has come to the ground after examining the records of about 3,900 patients who had undergone bypass surgery. The same report further states that 20.8% of patients who received Trasylol died, compared with 12.7% who received no medicine.
However, Dr. T. Bruce Ferguson Jr. of the Brody School of Medicine at East Caroline University has tried to refute this study stating that this study could not be considered conclusive, for it was an observational study that tracked patients after they had been treated. Further, he opines that to come up with a more plausible conclusion results should be carved out on the basis of clinical trial in which patients are randomly assigned to specific treatment groups.
It is worth mentioning that some previous studies had also pulled this drug amid controversies, hurling the issue that it give rise to kidney problems, heart attack, heart failure, strokes, etc. This is a serious issue that should be addressed earnestly. Besides, there should be no hesitation in using other safer alternative of this drug that have been dubbed quite safe than Trasylol. As the following words of this study observes:
Trasylol was unnecessary for most patients because safer and cheaper alternatives were available.
Image credit: CBG Net work
Via: LA Times
