Common drug could prevent thousands of head injury deaths

Researchers say tranexamic acid treatment has potential to save tens of thousands of lives

A cheap and widely available drug could reduce the risk of death from common head injuries and save tens of thousands of lives each year, researchers say.

Tranexamic acid slows down the breakdown of blood clots, and is already used to control heavy bleeding in people who have experienced trauma elsewhere in the body - for example from being shot or stabbed.