Predicting Who Will Experience Cerebral Hemorrhage When Anticoagulated

The most feared hemorrhagic complication of anticoagulating patients with atrial fibrillation is intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). However, not anticoagulating high-risk patients with atrial fibrillation can lead to cardioembolic stroke, another disastrous outcome. Physicians may tend to avoid blame by inaction, which can result in underprescribing. Such clinical inertia is not unique to anticoagulating patients with atrial fibrillation. Clinical inertia has been noted in the treatment of several common chronic conditions, such as treating blood pressure in patients with hypertension and treating hyperglycemia in patients with diabetes mellitus.
Source: Mayo Clinic Proceedings - Category: Internal Medicine Authors: Tags: Editorial Source Type: research