Mary Choy, PharmD, is board-certified in geriatric pharmacotherapy and is an active leader in professional pharmacy associations.
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.
Dosage Form: Tablet, liquid solution
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:
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.
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.
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.
Amicar has been used off-label for the following indications:
Amicar starts working within 10 minutes, but the healthcare professional will use the drug depending on the requirement, response to the drug, and condition of the person.
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.
Amicar may cause some side effects.
These side effects usually go away on their own and do not require medical attention. They include:
If any of the above symptoms worsen or do not go away, talk to your healthcare provider.
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:
Amicar may cause other side effects. Call your healthcare provider if you have any unusual problems while taking this medication.
If you experience a serious side effect, you or your healthcare provider may send a report to the FDA's MedWatch Adverse Event Reporting Program online or by phone (800-332-1088).
The dose of this medicine will be different for different patients. Follow your doctor's orders or the directions on the label. The following information includes only the average doses of this medicine. If your dose is different, do not change it unless your doctor tells you to do so.
The amount of medicine that you take depends on the strength of the medicine. Also, the number of doses you take each day, the time allowed between doses, and the length of time you take the medicine depend on the medical problem for which you are using the medicine.
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.
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.
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.
Verywell Health's drug information is meant for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a healthcare provider. Consult your healthcare provider before taking any new medication(s). IBM Watson Micromedex provides some of the drug content, as indicated on the page.
It is very important that your doctor check your progress while you are using this medicine. Blood tests may be needed to see if the medicine is working properly and to check for unwanted effects.
Using this medicine for a long time may cause muscle problems and serious kidney disease. Check with your doctor right away if you have a dark-colored urine; fever; joint pain; muscle cramps or spasms; or unusual tiredness or weakness.
Make sure any doctor or dentist who treats you knows that you are using this medicine. This medicine may affect the results of certain medical tests.
Amicar use is discouraged under the following conditions:
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.
Some blood clotting drugs that may interact with this Amicar include:
Tell your healthcare professional what prescription, nonprescription, vitamins, and herbal products you are taking before starting your treatment.
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:
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.
Amicar helps control bleeding due to a condition where the blood doesn't clot normally (fibrinolysis). This condition may cause severe bleeding after certain surgeries or in certain bleeding disorders, liver disease, and cancers.
Aminocaproic acid affects the blood clotting system to slow or stop the bleeding after surgery, some bleeding conditions, or severe liver disease.
Other blood clotting agents such as tranexamic acid should not be taken with Amicar.
The mean time to act is usually 10 minutes, but it depends on the person's condition and response to the drug.
Amicar may cause some side effects such as diarrhea, headache, nausea, vomiting, unusual menstrual pain, unusual tiredness, dizziness, confusion, and others. Talk to your healthcare professional if these symptoms are persistent and causing trouble with your routine life.
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.
Verywell Health's drug information is meant for educational purposes only and is not intended to replace medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment from a healthcare provider. Consult your healthcare provider before taking any new medication(s). IBM Watson Micromedex provides some of the drug content, as indicated on the page.
DailyMed. Label: Amicar- aminocaproic acid solution. Amicar- aminocaproic acid tablet.
National Cancer Institute. Antifibrinolytic agent.
Peng HT. Hemostatic agents for prehospital hemorrhage control: a narrative review. Mil Med Res. 2020;7(1):13. doi:10.1186/s40779-020-00241-z
MedlinePlus. Fibrinolysis - primary or secondary.
Prescribers' Digital Reference. Aminocaproic acid - drug summary.
Levy JH, Koster A, Quinones QJ, Milling TJ, Key NS. Antifibrinolytic therapy and perioperative considerations. Anesthesiology. 2018;128(3):657-670. doi:10.1097/ALN.0000000000001997
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