Abstract
A hemorheological analysis which measured blood filterability was carried out on 3 groups of patients with cerebrovascular accidents (CVA). In two groups: severe CVA (52 patients, ischemic and hemorrhagic of whom 50% died), and mild CVA (10 patients, no deaths) alterations in blood filterability were observed in two phases,during the course of deterioration and subsequent improvement. Changes were most marked in patients with complications or in whom the outcome was fatal. In a third group of patients with severe CVA (10 subjects), hemodilution was able to maintain hematocrit at a low level, although it only temporarily corrected blood filterability. Hemorheolical parameters appear to have clincal significance. However, the relationship between the lesions and therapeutic goals (hemodilution and drugs acting at the cellular level) will need to be based on a more rational understanding of the mechanisms underlying these hemorheological disturbances.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.