Improving patient selection for coagulopathy testing in the setting of acute ischemic stroke

Neurology. 2001 Oct 9;57(7):1333-5. doi: 10.1212/wnl.57.7.1333.

Abstract

To improve patient selection for specialized coagulation testing in the setting of ischemic stroke, the authors sought to identify factors associated with the presence of hypercoagulable states. Of 208 patients with ischemic stroke tested, undetermined stroke subtype was significantly associated with the presence of coagulopathy, but only 60% were treated with warfarin. The frequency of coagulopathy in selected patients with ischemic stroke (5%) is low, and establishing the diagnosis did not uniformly influence treatment.

MeSH terms

  • Acute Disease
  • Adult
  • Anticoagulants / therapeutic use
  • Blood Coagulation Disorders / diagnosis*
  • Blood Coagulation Disorders / drug therapy
  • Blood Coagulation Disorders / epidemiology
  • Blood Coagulation Tests
  • Brain Ischemia / diagnosis*
  • Brain Ischemia / drug therapy
  • Brain Ischemia / epidemiology
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Patient Selection*
  • Prevalence
  • Stroke / diagnosis*
  • Stroke / drug therapy
  • Stroke / epidemiology
  • Warfarin / therapeutic use

Substances

  • Anticoagulants
  • Warfarin