Aminocaproic acid

Generic name: Aminocaproic Acid
Brand names: Amicar
Drug class: Miscellaneous coagulation modifiers

Usage of Aminocaproic acid

Aminocaproic acid is a man-made form of a protein that occurs naturally in the body and helps the blood to clot.

Aminocaproic acid is used to treat bleeding episodes in people with certain medical conditions such as aplastic anemia (lack of blood cells and platelets), cirrhosis of the liver, placenta abruptio (early separation of the placenta in pregnancy), urinary bleeding, and certain types of cancer.

Aminocaproic acid is also used to prevent bleeding after heart surgery or placement of a shunt near the liver to control high blood pressure.

Aminocaproic acid may also be used for purposes not listed in this medication guide.

Aminocaproic acid side effects

Get emergency medical help if you have signs of an allergic reaction: hives; difficult breathing; swelling of your face, lips, tongue, or throat.

Aminocaproic acid may cause serious side effects. Stop using aminocaproic acid and call your doctor at once if you have:

unexplained muscle pain or weakness (especially if you also have fever, unusual tiredness, or dark colored urine);

sudden weakness or ill feeling, fever, chills, sore throat, mouth sores, easy bruising, unusual bleeding;

numbness, tingling, or cold feeling in your arms or legs;

slow heart rate, trouble breathing, feeling like you might pass out;

kidney problems--little or no urination, painful or difficult urination, swelling in your feet or ankles, feeling tired or short of breath; or

signs of a blood clot--sudden numbness or weakness, tingling or cold feeling in an arm or leg, trouble breathing, sudden cough or chest pain, or swelling, warmth, or redness in your arms or legs.

Common side effects of aminocaproic acid may include:

muscle weakness;

headache;

nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, diarrhea;

(in men) decreased amount of semen when having an orgasm;

stuffy nose, watery eyes;

vision problems, ringing in your ears; or

itching, rash.

This is not a complete list of side effects and others may occur. Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.

Before taking Aminocaproic acid

You should not use aminocaproic acid if you are allergic to it.

To make sure aminocaproic acid is safe for you, tell your doctor if you have:

kidney disease; or

a history of stroke or blood clots.

It is not known whether this medicine will harm an unborn baby. Unless you are being treated for placenta abruptio, tell your doctor if you are pregnant or plan to become pregnant.

It is not known whether aminocaproic acid passes into breast milk or if it could affect the nursing baby. Tell your doctor if you are breast-feeding.

Aminocaproic acid is not approved for use by anyone younger than 18 years old.

Relate drugs

How to use Aminocaproic acid

Usual Adult Dose for Fibrinolytic Bleeding:

IV: 4 to 5 g IV infusion during the first hour of treatment, followed by a continuous infusion of 1 g/hr.Oral: 5 g orally during the first hour of treatment, followed by a continuous rate of 1 g/hr (tablets) or 1.25 g/hr (oral solution).Duration of therapy: Usually continued for about 8 hours or until bleeding controlled.Use: To enhance hemostasis when fibrinolysis contributes to bleeding.

Warnings

Stop using aminocaproic acid and call your doctor at once if you have: unexplained muscle pain, sudden numbness or weakness, tingling or cold feeling in an arm or leg, trouble breathing, a sudden cough or sudden chest pain.

What other drugs will affect Aminocaproic acid

Tell your doctor about all your current medicines and any you start or stop using, especially:

factor IX complex; or

anti-inhibitor coagulant complex (Autoplex, Feiba VH).

This list is not complete. Other drugs may interact with aminocaproic acid, including prescription and over-the-counter medicines, vitamins, and herbal products. Not all possible interactions are listed in this medication guide.

Disclaimer

Every effort has been made to ensure that the information provided by Drugslib.com is accurate, up-to-date, and complete, but no guarantee is made to that effect. Drug information contained herein may be time sensitive. Drugslib.com information has been compiled for use by healthcare practitioners and consumers in the United States and therefore Drugslib.com does not warrant that uses outside of the United States are appropriate, unless specifically indicated otherwise. Drugslib.com's drug information does not endorse drugs, diagnose patients or recommend therapy. Drugslib.com's drug information is an informational resource designed to assist licensed healthcare practitioners in caring for their patients and/or to serve consumers viewing this service as a supplement to, and not a substitute for, the expertise, skill, knowledge and judgment of healthcare practitioners.

The absence of a warning for a given drug or drug combination in no way should be construed to indicate that the drug or drug combination is safe, effective or appropriate for any given patient. Drugslib.com does not assume any responsibility for any aspect of healthcare administered with the aid of information Drugslib.com provides. The information contained herein is not intended to cover all possible uses, directions, precautions, warnings, drug interactions, allergic reactions, or adverse effects. If you have questions about the drugs you are taking, check with your doctor, nurse or pharmacist.