Management of Cerebral Microbleeds in Clinical Practice

Cerebral microbleeds (CMBs) are very frequent diagnoses with MRI imaging in the elderly or in patients with cerebral infarction, intracranial hemorrhage (ICH), and dementia. The mechanisms for CMBs are not fully understood but may be secondary to injury to the vascular wall from long-standing hypertension or amyloid deposition in the tissue. The presence of CMB increases the risk for stroke, dementia, and death. The increasing number of CMBs is also associated with a higher risk of hemorrhagic complications with the long-term use of anticoagulants in atrial fibrillation and in patients requiring thrombolysis for acute stroke. The presence of CMBs is however not a contraindication for anticoagulation or thrombolysis as was recently shown from the results of the CROMIS-2 study. This review will summarize our current understanding of the natural history of CMBs and offer suggestions on the best management in common clinical settings.