S2:E35 - "TXA, traumatic bleeding and EMS - A discussion with Dr. Steve McGraw, Luke Bowen and John Theut about the introduction of TXA for Southeast Michigan EMS agencies." Recorded May 5, 2021

EMS on AIR Podcast

In today’s episode, we discuss tranexamic acid, or TXA. TXA is a medication that helps prevent the body from prematurely breaking down clots. It doesn’t make new clots. It protects existing clots as they are formed. TXA was originally developed for the treatment of hemophilia and to reduce bleeding in patients undergoing oral surgery. Eventually, it was shown to be an effective preoperative drug that minimizes the need for large amounts of whole blood during general surgery procedures. TXA is now being used by EMS to treat severely injured trauma patients in the field who have or are at risk for severe hemorrhage.
Starting June 2021, TXA will be added to the drug box on my rig, along with every other EMS rig in Michigan’s Southeast Region, which includes over a half dozen counties in the area. This new addition to the box will affect thousands of EMS units, paramedics, and hundreds of EMS agencies. If you are a paramedic in my area, I suggest you reach out to your EMS coordinator and find out if this change will impact your treatments. This change impacts the following protocols for Southeast Michigan EMS providers: 1) Shock and 2) Southeast Michigan Medication Exchange and Replacement Procedure. You can download these protocols at www.OCMCA.org/protocols. Or at the OCMCA EMS Protocols App, which you can download for free from Google Play or the Apple Store.
To assist us in this discussion, we welcome back Dr. Steve McGraw, DO who is an ED physician at Ascension Providence Hospitals in both Southfield and Novi, Michigan, as well as the EMS medical director of the Oakland County Medical Control Authority (OCMCA), which provides oversight to 50 EMS agencies.
We also welcome John Theut, MS, Paramedic, EMS-IC, the QA/QI Coordinator for the OCMCA right here in southeast Michigan.
Finally, we welcome our MCA neighbor Luke Bowen, MBA, Paramedic I/C to the show. Luke is the Operations Manager for the Macomb County Medical Control Authority, which is one county east of Oakland County, Michigan.
In today’s episode, our guests help us describe what TXA is and what it does. Then, they’ll list and describe the indications and contra-indications. After that, we’ll get into the dose, route and method of delivery for TXA. And finally, our guests will list and describe adverse reactions and side effects that may be witnessed by EMS after administration of TXA.
Please keep emailing your questions, comments, feedback and episode ideas to the EMS on AIR Podcast team by email at [e-mail]. Visit EMSonAIR.com for the latest information, podcast episodes and other details. Follow us on Instagram @EMSOnAIR.
Contact the episode host or guests:
Geoff Lassers, AAS, Paramedic I/C
Host/producer, EMS on AIR Podcast
Firefighter/Paramedic, West Bloomfield Fire Department
EMS System Manager, OCMCA
Director of Education, American CME
[e-mail]
Steve McGraw, D.O.
Co-Host, EMS on AIR Podcast
Co-Medical Director, EMS on AIR Podcast
EMS Medical Director, OCMCA
[e-mail]
Luke Bowen, MBA, Paramedic I/C
Operations Manager, Macomb County Medical Control Authority
[e-mail]
John Theut, MS, Paramedic, EMS-IC
QA/QI Coordinator, OCMCA
Shift Captain / EMS Coordinator, Ferndale Fire Department
[e-mail]

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