Secondary brain injury after aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage: more than vasospasm.

摘要

Mortality from aneurysmal subarachnoid haemorrhage (aSAH) has decreased in recent years, probably because of advances in hospital care, but functional impairment is still common among survivors. Although physical handicaps are the outcome measures that have traditionally received most attention, cognitive deficits and behavioural problems are more frequent and might have a greater effect on quality of life after aSAH.1 Because of this burden, only a minority of these, often young, patients return to work after the event. Thus, the personal and societal costs of aSAH remain high, and finding better ways to prevent disability from this disorder should be a research priority.