Oregon Health and Science University is one of 10 trauma centers in North America to participate in a National Institutes of Health study on traumatic brain injury recovery.
The study will explore whether people who sustain a traumatic brain injury have better outcomes when given a drug called tranexamic acid before they reach the hospital. The drug has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration.
To conduct the research, paramedics will assess whether an individual has a traumatic brain injury that meets the study criteria. Those who qualify will be randomly assigned to one of three study groups.
Group 1 will receive 1 gram of the drug at the scene and 1 gram at the hospital. Group 2 will receive 2 grams of the drug at the scene and salt water in the hospital. Group 3 will receive salt water at the scene and in the hospital.
