J. Stein et al., FALL-RELATED INJURIES IN ANTICOAGULATED STROKE PATIENTS DURING INPATIENT REHABILITATION, Archives of physical medicine and rehabilitation, 76(9), 1995, pp. 840-843
Objective: To compare the frequency and severity of fall-related injur
ies in anticoagulated patients undergoing rehabilitation after stroke
to nonanticoagulated stroke patients undergoing rehabilitation, Design
: Retrospective chart review, Setting: Free-standing rehabilitation ho
spital, Patients: 264 patients who sustained falls while undergoing in
tensive inpatient rehabilitation after stroke, Measurements: Injuries,
categorized as minor (abrasions and bruises) or major (intracranial h
emorrhage, fracture, major bleeding), Main Results: A total of 400 fal
ls in 264 patients undergoing inpatient stroke rehabilitation were rev
iewed, One hundred thirty-one falls were sustained by 93 patients rece
iving anticoagulation, whereas 269 falls were sustained by 175 patient
s not receiving anticoagulation, In both the anticoagulation group and
the control (nonanticoagulated) group, approximately one in five fall
s resulted in minor injuries (abrasions or bruises), Three fractures o
ccurred, but no major bleeding events or intracranial hemorrhage occur
red in either group, Conclusions: The risk for minor injury secondary
to fall is comparable between the two groups, and the risk is low in t
his setting for hemorrhagic injuries in stroke patients falling while
receiving anticoagulation. (C) 1995 by the American Congress of Rehabi
litation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Re
habilitation