Journal of Blood Disorders & Transfusion

The management of traumatic intracranial hemorrhage in patients taking pre-injury antiplatelet agents: An update

5^th World Hematologists Congress

August 18-19, 2016 London, UK

John Batchelor

Central Manchester Foundation Trust, UK

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Blood Disord Transfus

Abstract:

With an ever increasing elderly population, falls in the elderly is a common condition presenting on a daily basis to Emergency departments. Many of these elderly fallers will have head injuries and will be taking antiplatelet agents, notably aspirin. The risk of traumatic intracranial hemorrhage is increased in patients taking antiplatelet agents although the risk is less than that of warfarin (odds ratio of 2.5 versus 1.5). The risk of mortality in patients�?? taking aspirin with traumatic brain injury is slightly increased in patients on antiplatelet agents in contrast to warfarin where the mortality is doubled. On the basis of this level of evidence some clinicians advocate the use of a platelet transfusion in patients with traumatic brain hemorrhage who are on antiplatelet agents. The evidence for this will be reviewed. Desmopressin is an alternative agent which might have a potential role in this area. Finally the role of platelet function assays will be reviewed based upon the current research evidence in this area.

Biography :

John Batchelor is currently a Consultant in Emergency Medicine at Central Manchester Foundation Trust, UK. He is also Honorary Lecturer at Manchester Metropolitan University. He was graduated from Leeds University England in 1982. He is a Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of Ireland and Fellow of the Faculty of Emergency Medicine of England. He undertook his MD training at University College London, UK. He has written extensively on the subject of minor head injuries. He has presented a paper in Paris in 2012 on meta-analysis looking at the relationship between cerebral microbleeds and anitiplatelet agents. He has also recently published a meta-analysis on the effect on mortality of platelet transfusions in adults with spontaneous or traumatic antiplatelet associated intracranial hemorrhage. His current research interest lies in the area of risk factors for intracranial hemorrhage in both adults and pediatrics secondary to coagulopathy and thrombocytopenia.

Email: johnbatchelor@msn.com