Determining the risk of development of cranial pathology in patients with minor head injury using antiagregan-anticoagulants

Abstract

Background: Patients use antiplatelet/anticoagulant drug which is increasing bleeding tendency is increasing with age. These patients can be admitted to the emergency room with minor head trauma and some ambiguities which may occur in the management of emergency services We undertook this study to determine the factor of intracranial hemorrhage in anticoagulated patients and patients on antiplatelet therapy and its impact on clinical management, identify predictors of positive imaging findings and their outcomes. Methods: ın a prospective analysis, All patients who had minor head trauma between June 1, 2014 and May 1 2015 were included in this study. They should be evaluated by doctors in the ED; no interference will be made during diagnosis and treatment. We reviwed medications, mechanism of injury, head CT results and outcomes. Demografic data, symptoms, clinical examinations were recorded. Results: 606 patients with minor head trauma were admitted to the emergency department. The average age of patients was 48.6 ± 22.6 and 57% (n = 345) were men, 43% (n = 261) were female. 30% of them (n:182) were taking antiplatelet/anticoagulant. Patients who use antiplatelet/anticoagulat is older then patients who didn’t use antiplatelet/anticoagulat therapy. Patients had CT scanned and they had 14,6% pathological finding. But this wasn’t statistically significant (p=0,762). Similarly, there was no statistically significant difference between 68 users antiplatelet and anticoagulant therapy (p = 0.865). Nausea was statistically significant in patients with pathology in the head CT (p=0,045). Conclusion: Minor head trauma in patients may die or have brain hemorrhage who use ASA with klopidogrel. However, symptoms of the patient, physical examination and laboratory data are insufficient to predict the risk of intracranial pathology.