Blood reviews
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Intracranial haemorrhage is an infrequent but often fatal complication of oral anticoagulant therapy which will become more common as anticoagulant use increases. The risk of anticoagulant-induced intracranial haemorrhage may be reduced by judicious prescribing, identification of patients at high risk of bleeding, and close monitoring by experienced staff. ⋯ In this review we discuss recent evidence suggesting prothrombin complex concentrates lead to faster, and more complete, correction of coagulation and, in the context of intracranial bleeding, may be associated with improved neurological status. Evidence for the risks of short-term cessation of anticoagulants, in the immediate period following an intracranial haemorrhage, and their subsequent reintroduction is also discussed.