Health Library Antifibrinolytic Agents for Von Willebrand's DiseaseFrom Healthwise

Antifibrinolytic agents can be taken in pill or liquid form, applied to the skin (topically), or given as an injection into the vein (intravenously).

Von Willebrand's disease is a bleeding disorder in which the blood does not clot properly. Antifibrinolytic agents help prevent blood clots from breaking down in certain areas of the body. These medications specifically target the mucous membranes of the mouth, nose, stomach, intestines, and urinary tract.

Health professionals usually use antifibrinolytic agents to treat nosebleeds and to prevent bleeding in the mouth during dental surgery. They may also use these medications in combination with desmopressin and plasma replacement therapies during minor and major surgery.

Antifibrinolytic agents are especially effective in preventing or controlling mild bleeding in the mouth. Although they may be combined with preventive clotting factors to replace certain properties in your blood cells, very few studies confirm the benefit of this approach.¹

Possible side effects of antifibrinolytic agents include:

• Upset stomach.
• Headache.
• Redness of the face and neck (flushing).
• Abnormally low blood pressure (hypotension).

See Drug Reference for a full list of side effects. (Drug Reference is not available in all systems.)

Antifibrinolytic agents should be avoided if there is a risk of blood clots in the leg (deep vein thrombosis) or in the lungs ( pulmonary embolism), or if bleeding is occurring in the urinary or genital systems.²

When used alone, these medications usually help control mild bleeding in the mouth, nose, stomach, intestines, or urinary tract.

Some people can use these medications instead of clotting factor replacement therapy after dental surgery.

Complete the new medication information form (PDF) (What is a PDF document?) to help you understand this medication.

Citations

1. Mannucci PM (2001). How I treat patients with von Willebrand disease. Blood, 97(7): 1915–1919.

2. Kessler CM (2004). Hemorrhagic disorders: Coagulation factor deficiencies. In L Goldman, D Ausiello, eds., Cecil Textbook of Medicine, 22nd ed., vol. 1, pp. 1069–1075. Philadelphia: Saunders.

Author:	Debby Golonka, MPH	Last Updated: November 29, 2006
Medical Review:	Kathleen Romito, MD - Family Medicine Joseph O'Donnell, MD - Hematology/Oncology
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