Use of Tranexamic Acid for Controlling Epistaxis in the Patients Referring to the Emergency Department: Single-blind Randomized Clinical Trial

Introduction: Use of tampons is one of the most common ways to treat epistaxis. This single Randomized clinical trial aimed to assess the efficiency of tranexamic acid (TA) in controlling different types of bleeding. Methods: From 2019 to 2020, 120 patients with epistaxis, referred to the Imam Reza Hospital(Tabriz-Iran) emergency department, and were treated. The patients were randomly divided into control (tampon) and intervention (TA) groups. The control group received tetracycline-impregnated tampon, while TA-impregnated gauze was used for the intervention group. Results: The mean time needed to stop bleeding was significantly higher (p=0.011) in the control group (18.59 +/- 2.33 Min) than in the intervention group (09.33 +/- 1.47 Min). In most patients in the intervention group bleeding stopped in less than 10 minutes; while in the control group. Bleeding in the majority of patients ceased within 10 to 20 minutes (p=0.01). Conclusion: The results indicate the beneficial effects of TA, as a drug with relatively low side effects in reducing bleeding time in patients with epistaxis. Thus, it can be used as a complementary drug, along with packing to stop bleeding.