[Age and changes in blood coagulation during treatment of cerebral ischemia with indirect anticoagulants]

Using the thromboelastographic method the age peculiarities of blood coagulation changes were examined in 131 patients treated for cerebral ischemias with rapid indirect-action anticoagulants (syncumar, pelentan, phenylin). In patients under 45 years of age these anticoagulants acted upon all the blood coagulation phases during the first three days of the treatment. Their use led to a lowering of the prothrombin complex activity and fibrinogen concentration as well as to activation of the anticoagulation system. In patients aged from 45 to 59 years these anticoagulants acted substantially on phases I and II of blood coagulation only, while their action on phase III was much weaker. In the elderly age group (60 to 74 years) no effect of the drugs on phase III of blood coagulation was observed. Adverse effects of the anticoagulant therapy in the forms of hemorrhagic complications and "pathological hypocoagulation" were more frequent in the middle-aged and elderly groups of the patients than in the young ones (the difference being statistically significant). The elderly patients showed more pronounced reactions to discontinuation of the anticoagulant treatment. These reactions manifested in rapid and considerable progress of hypercoagulation development.