Thursday, January 05, 2006

The NYTimes Raises a Good Point

The decision to treat the hole in Mr. Sharon's heart - with all the attendant risks of blood thinners - surprised many neurologists, because recent studies have concluded that such holes are not likely to cause strokes in the elderly.

"We've been scratching out heads about the care, since we would not recommend closure," of the hole Dr. Fink said, noting that, at 77, Mr. Sharon presumably had many other risks for stroke.

It is not known whether Mr. Sharon had high blood pressure or which blood thinner, heparin or warfarin, he was taking. But bleeding in the brain in a patient on blood thinners has a terrible prognosis, Dr. Fink said. "The blood expands so rapidly there's little that can be done."


More here.

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