Amicar (Aminocaproic Acid) - Oral

What Is Amicar?

Amicar (aminocaproic acid) is an orally prescribed prescription medication classified as an antifibrinolytic agent that is used to manage and treat acute bleeding disorders in adults 18 and older.

Antifibrinolytic agents work as blood clotting agents (hemostatics) that slow the breakdown of blood clots.

These hemostatics can reduce bleeding in different ways, such as sticking to the tissues where bleeding has occurred and delivering support to the hemorrhage sites.

Amicar helps improve hemostasis (a process to prevent and stop bleeding, therefore keeping blood within a damaged blood vessel) when fibrinolysis contributes to bleeding. It can play a life-saving role in life-threatening situations, especially where emergency treatments are required. Fibrinolysis is a bodily process that prevents blood clots from growing.

Amicar is a prescription drug primarily available in tablet and liquid solution forms of administration.

Moreover, as a generic product, the primary ingredient found in Amicar, aminocaproic acid, is also available in the form of oral tablets and as a liquid solution,

This article will focus on the oral administration of Amicar.

What Is Amicar Used For?

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved Amicar to control bleeding that occurs when blood clots are broken down too quickly in conditions such as:

• After surgeries, such as heart and liver operations
• In certain bleeding disorders
• In cancer of the prostate (male reproductive gland), lung, stomach, or cervix (opening of the uterus)
• In pregnant people encountering placental abruption (when the placenta separates from the internal wall of the uterus before birth.)
• To control bleeding in the urinary tract after prostate or kidney surgery

Amicar should not treat bleeding that hasn't been caused by faster-than-normal clot breakdown. Specific lab tests are required to find the cause of your bleeding before starting your treatment.

How to Take Amicar

Follow the instructions on the prescription label, and ask about anything you do not understand. Take Amicar exactly as directed.

Amicar comes as an oral tablet and as a liquid solution. Take a tablet or syrup by mouth as directed by the healthcare provider.

A healthcare professional should closely monitor the person until the bleeding is controlled. The dose and duration of treatment are based on your medical condition and response to treatment.

Amicar is usually taken once an hour for about eight hours until the bleeding is controlled. It is taken every three to six hours to treat ongoing bleeding. Do not alter the dose or take it more often than prescribed.

If taking the liquid form of Amicar, shake the liquid well before each use to mix the medication evenly. Measure the dose precisely, using a special measuring spoon provided. Do not use a household spoon as you may not get a correct, accurate dose.

Storage

Store the medicine at room temperature in the tightly closed container it came in. Keep the medicine away from light and moisture. Do not freeze Amicar. Do not store it in the bathroom. Keep all medications locked out of the reach and sight of children and pets.

Do not keep unwanted and expired medicines with you. To discard a drug, do not flush it down the toilet, pour it into a drain, or throw it away in a bin. Contact your pharmacist or local waste disposal company to discard the medicines through a medicine take-back program.

Off-Label Uses

Amicar has been used off-label for the following indications:

• Prevention of dental bleeding after dental practices in people with hemophilia A (a hereditary bleeding disorder caused by a lack of blood clotting factor VIII)
• Intracranial rebleeding prevention after a recent hemorrhage causing bleeding in the space that surrounds the brain (known as a brain aneurysm)
• Prevention of secondary visual bleeding as a result of traumatic hyphema (a common complication of a penetrating injury to the eye)
• Prevention of angioedema (swelling underneath the skin usually caused by a reaction to a trigger, such as a medicine)
• Surgical bleeding prevention for a cardiopulmonary bypass (when a machine temporarily takes over the function of the heart and lungs during surgery)

What Are the Side Effects of Amicar?

This is not a complete list of side effects, and others may occur. A healthcare provider can advise you on side effects. If you experience other effects, contact your healthcare provider. You may report side effects to the FDA at fda.gov/medwatch or 1-800-FDA-1088.

Like most medications, spironolactone can cause mild or serious side effects.

Common Side Effects

Amicar may cause some side effects.

These side effects usually go away on their own and do not require medical attention. They include:

• Change in libido
• Diarrhea
• Headache
• Nausea
• Vomiting
• Unusual menstrual pain
• Unusual tiredness
• Dizziness
• Confusion
• Hallucinations (feeling things that do not exist)
• Edema (swelling of the arms, hands, feet, ankles, or lower legs)
• Reduced or blurred vision
• Tinnitus (ringing in the ears)

If any of the above symptoms worsen or do not go away, talk to your healthcare provider.

Severe Side Effects

Call your healthcare team immediately if you experience serious side effects while taking Amicar. Call 911 if you feel the symptoms are life-threatening or if you’re experiencing a medical emergency.

Serious side effects and symptoms can include the following:

• Allergy symptoms such as skin rash, hives, swelling of the face, lips, or tongue
• Chest pain
• Coughing up blood
• Discomfort in the arms, shoulders, neck, or upper back
• Oliguria (decreased amount of urine)
• Painful or difficult urination
• Rust-colored urine
• Hyperhidrosis (excessive sweating)
• Bradycardia (slow heartbeat)
• Tachycardia (fast heartbeat)
• Tachypnea (fast breathing)
• Fainting
• A feeling of heaviness, pain, warmth, and swelling in a leg or the pelvis
• Muscle weakness
• Sudden tingling, weakness, or numbness in an arm or leg
• Slow or difficult speech
• Severe drowsiness
• Sharp pain when taking a deep breath
• Seizures

Dosage: How Much Amicar Should I Take?

Modifications

Users should be aware of the following before beginning Amicar:

Severe allergic reaction: Do not consume Amicar if you are allergic to its primary ingredient, aminocaproic acid, or any of the other active ingredients present in Amicar.

Pregnancy: Discuss with your healthcare provider if you plan to become pregnant or are pregnant. They will help you weigh the benefits and risks of Amicar during your pregnancy. Amicar should only be used in pregnant people if the benefits outweigh any potential risks.

Breastfeeding: It is not known whether this drug is excreted in human milk. Because many drugs are excreted in human milk, caution should be exercised when Amicar is administered to those who are nursing.

If you plan to breastfeed, talk with your healthcare provider to weigh the benefits and risks of methylphenidate while nursing. They can also discuss the different ways available to feed your baby.

Older adults over 65: There is not enough information about Amicar in older adults to see whether they respond differently than younger adults. Older adults with several medical conditions or taking several medications should use caution. Older adults may be more sensitive to side effects from medications.

Children: The FDA approved Amicar for adults 18 and older. Therefore, the use of Amicar is prohibited in adolescents.

Missed Dose

If you missed a dose of Amicar, contact your healthcare provider to get a new dosing schedule for the following doses. Do not take a double dose at any time.

Overdose: What Happens If I Take Too Much Amicar?

In case of an overdose, call the Poison Control Center. If the person has collapsed or is having seizures or trouble breathing, call 911 right away.

Precautions

What Are Reasons I Shouldn't Take Amicar?

Amicar use is discouraged under the following conditions:

• Hypersensitivity to aminocaproic acid or any other ingredient present in the drug
• Active intravascular clotting
• Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), is a rare but severe condition that causes abnormal blood clotting in blood vessels throughout the body

However, it's important to note that Amicar may be used in these conditions if used with heparin administration.

Heparin comes as a solution (liquid) to be injected intravenously (IV) or deeply under the skin and as a diluted solution to be injected into IV catheters.

What Other Medications May Interact With Amicar?

Some blood clotting drugs that may interact with this Amicar include:

• Factor IX (AlphaNine SD, Mononine): Two drugs used to treat hemophilia B. Factor IX is a protein produced naturally in the body. It helps the blood form clots to stop bleeding
• Factor IX complex (Bebulin VH, Profilnine SD, Proplex T): Three drugs used to treat hemophilia B. Factor IX complex is a combination of four different clotting factors and other proteins. It works by temporarily raising levels of these clotting factors in the blood to help in clotting.
• Anti-inhibitor coagulant complex (Feiba VH): Anti-inhibitor coagulant complex is a category of medications used to treat Hemophilia A & B, and Feiba VH is a prescription medicine used to treat the symptoms of Hemophilia A & B.

Tell your healthcare professional what prescription, nonprescription, vitamins, and herbal products you are taking before starting your treatment.

What Medications Are Similar?

Antifibrinolytics act at the step where fibrinolysis occurs by blocking the binding sites to cause hemostasis. The drugs used for the inhibition of fibrinolysis are:

• Lysteda (tranexamic acid)
• Aprotinin also slows enzymes (proteins that speed up chemical reactions), [kallikrein and trypsin]) and decreases the activation of neutrophils (a type of white blood cell) and platelets (small blood cells that help your body form clots to stop bleeding.

Your healthcare provider will prescribe the most suitable drug for you depending on your condition. Do not change medications without permission from your healthcare provider.

How Can I Stay Healthy While Taking Amicar?

Blood clotting agents have been increasingly used during surgeries associated with a high risk of bleeding.

Amicar reduces bleeding and blood transfusions in many types of surgery. While Amicar is a helpful drug in managing many life-threatening medical conditions, it is not a drug for all purposes.

The appropriate management of people with bleeding is a major challenge. Selection of the most appropriate drug should be made under clinical observation to ensure the benefits and reduce the risk.

Always follow the prescription's guidelines and take the medication exactly as prescribed to get the most out of it.