Prevention of cardioembolic events after intracranial hemorrhage

Abstract

In high thromboembolic risk patients who experienced hemorrhagic stroke, the prevention of cardioembolic events and recurrence of intracranial bleeding should be guaranteed. The consultant cardiologist should carefully identify the most appropriate therapeutic approach for these patients. Among patients with previous hemorrhagic stroke, only few restart oral anticoagulant therapy (OAT) after cerebral bleeding; however, as reported by some registries, it is likely that resuming OAT exerts a favorable effect on the combined outcome of ischemic stroke/systemic embolism/all-cause death. In these patients, several parameters should be evaluated, such as the type of intracranial bleeding, the presence of a previous thromboembolic event, the global thromboembolic risk, as well as the history of a previous OAT. This review deals with a particularly interesting matter, requiring a number of decision-making turning points, i.e. whether it is appropriate or not to start or resume OAT, what drug class and timing choice in such a case, and the potential valuable alternatives to OAT.