DALLAS: Concerns that taking oral anticoagulants for atrial fibrillation could possibly lead to fall-related traumatic intracranial hemorrhage (ICH) in elderly patients are not only justified, but ICH incidence rates may be much higher than clinicians realize—at least in older people, suggests new research[1].
The retrospective study of nearly 32,000 veterans with AF who were older than 74 years (mean age 81 years; 98% men) showed an incidence rate of hospitalization for traumatic ICH, the primary outcome, of 4.8 per 1000 person-years over a median follow-up of 3 years. “As expected, this rate was considerably higher than that in previous trials,” note the investigators.
The strongest adjusted risk factor for traumatic ICH was comorbid dementia, but anemia, depression, and use of anticonvulsants were also significant predictors…