Aprotinin significantly decreases bleeding and transfusion requirements in patients receiving aspirin and undergoing cardiac operations

BACKGROUND: Patients with heart disease are frequently maintained on a regimen of aspirin because of its ability to decrease thrombotic complications and reduce the prevalence of unstable angina and myocardial infarction. Aspirin-induced platelet acetylation also increases bleeding caused by impairment of platelet function during cardiac surgery. METHODS: Between October 1990 and November 1991 this double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled, …