May 1, 2024

Popular Blood Thinners May Lead to Brain Bleeding and Death After Head Injury

” The incidence of postponed posttraumatic intracranial hemorrhage in clients on different types of blood slimmers with and without the addition of aspirin is not well developed,” said Warren Chang, M.D., neuroradiologist and director of research at the Imaging Institute of the Allegheny Health Network in Pennsylvania. “This is an active location of examination, particularly as unique blood slimmers become more extensively embraced.”
Adults taking blood thinners who suffer head trauma usually undergo CT imaging of the brain. The requirement of care beyond initial imaging is not well specified. Some medical facilities admit clients for observation and repeat CT imaging, while others may release a patient who does not have intracranial hemorrhage and is in stable condition.
” Different hospital networks have various strategies for repeat imaging of these clients,” Dr. Chang stated.
In the retrospective analysis, scientists examined the records of all patients taking blood slimmers who suffered head injury and underwent CT imaging in the Allegheny Health Network in between January 1, 2017, and January 1, 2020. If initial CT imaging was negative for intracranial hemorrhage and repeat imaging was consequently carried out, patients were included in the research study. The final study group of 1,046 clients consisted of 547 women and 499 guys with a typical age of 77.5.
Within the study hall, 576 patients were taking among the newer blood slimmers, such as apixiban (Eliquis), rivaroxaban (Xarelto) and dabigatran (Pradaxa), and 470 patients were taking warfarin, clopidogrel or another older medication.
In general, there was 1.91% occurrence (20 clients) of postponed hemorrhage and 0.3% death rate (3 patients). All deaths in the research study group were amongst patients in the warfarin/clopidogrel/older blood thinner group.
Amongst the overall study hall, 345 clients were taking both blood slimmers and aspirin. Of the 20 patients who suffered a delayed hemorrhage, 15 were taking an older type of blood thinner, and nine of the 15 were also taking aspirin.
” The rate of delayed hemorrhage was greater in patients taking older blood slimmers compared to novel drugs, and considerably higher in patients taking aspirin in addition to the older medications,” Dr. Chang stated.
Amongst the five clients taking novel blood thinners who experienced a postponed hemorrhage, 4 were also taking aspirin.
” Given the high volume of our injury patients taking aspirin and anticoagulants, this research study will assist to direct our care of closed head injury patients in emergency situation medicine and support efforts to use imaging resources properly,” said Thomas Campbell, M.D., M.P.H., the system chair for Emergency Medicine of the Allegheny Health Network.
Based on the findings, the research studys authors suggest follow-up CT for patients who had no initial intracranial hemorrhage from head trauma who are taking one of the older blood slimmers and for patients who take any blood thinner along with aspirin. Unless there are external indications of injury, follow-up CT is unnecessary for patients who just take one of the newer blood thinners and do not take aspirin.
” Taking any blood thinner concurrently with aspirin considerably increased the threat of postponed hemorrhage, while taking one of the unique medications without aspirin considerably reduced the danger,” Dr. Chang stated.
” This study illustrates how innovative imaging can drive optimal patient care. In the end, I think the suggestions of this work will conserve many lives,” said Bethany Casagranda, D.O., chair of the Imaging Institute of the Allegheny Health Network.
Additional co-authors are Michael P. Spearman, M.D., Michael F. Goldberg, M.D., Christian P. Wanamaker, M.D., Ph.D., Charles Q. Li, M.D., Laura Eisenmenger, M.D., Albert Sohn, M.D., Tyson Tragon, M.D., Matthew Kulzer, M.D., Brian Weston, M.D., and J. Danielle Yin, M.D.
Meeting: 107th Scientific Assembly and Annual Meeting of the Radiological Society of North America

The left image reveals the initial CT scan of the brain in a client on both clopidogrel (Plavix) and aspirin who presented to the Emergency Department with head trauma that did not show any intracranial hemorrhage. A three-year study of more than 1,000 patients found that the danger of delayed intracranial hemorrhage and death following head injury was considerably higher for grownups taking older blood thinning medications including clopidogrel (Plavix) and warfarin (Coumadin), according to research study being presented today (November 30, 2021) at the yearly conference of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). As the population ages, the prevalence of clients taking blood thinners is increasing.

Some health centers confess clients for observation and repeat CT imaging, while others might discharge a client who does not have intracranial hemorrhage and is in stable condition.
In the retrospective analysis, researchers reviewed the records of all patients taking blood slimmers who suffered head injury and underwent CT imaging in the Allegheny Health Network between January 1, 2017, and January 1, 2020.

The left image shows the initial CT scan of the brain in a client on both clopidogrel (Plavix) and aspirin who provided to the Emergency Department with head injury that did not show any intracranial hemorrhage. The ideal image reveals a head CT gotten 24 hours later on demonstrating a large parenchymal hemorrhage in the ideal frontal/parietal area. The patient passed away shortly after the 2nd assessment. Credit: RSNA and Warren Chang, M.D
. A three-year study of more than 1,000 patients discovered that the threat of postponed intracranial hemorrhage and death list below head injury was significantly greater for grownups taking older blood thinning medications consisting of clopidogrel (Plavix) and warfarin (Coumadin), according to research existing today (November 30, 2021) at the annual meeting of the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA). Taking aspirin simultaneously with any blood thinner may increase the threat of postponed hemorrhage.
High blood pressure, head injury and the usage of blood slimmers are known causes of intracranial hemorrhage. As the population ages, the frequency of patients taking blood slimmers is increasing.