HYPERTENSIVE, HYPERVOLEMIC, HEMODILUTIONAL THERAPY FOR ANEURYSMAL SUBARACHNOID HEMORRHAGE - IS IT EFFICACIOUS - NO

Many neurosurgeons routinely use hypertensive, hypervolemic, hemodilut ional, or hyperdynamic therapy (HT) in some form to prevent or to trea t vasospasm. Despite the widespread use of this therapy during the pas t 20 years, however, there are no randomized, prospective, controlled clinical studies demonstrating that HT improves the short- or long-ter m neurologic outcome or survival after subarachnoid hemorrhage. Guidel ines need to be developed to standardize the clinical application of H T, and well-controlled, prospective, randomized clinical trials must b e conducted before HT can become an accepted treatment for vasospasm.