Cardiologic complications of subarachnoid hemorrhage

pp 405-408

Abstract

Cardiac complications are frequent in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage . They include electrocardiographic abnormalities, cardiac arrhythmias, myocardial damage and neurogenic pulmonary edema. The pathophysiology of these abnormalities is related to an imbalance of the autonomic cardiovascular control and to increased circulating and local myocardial tissue catecholamines. Cardiac involvement is more common in patients with severe neurological deficits and it may increase the morbidity associated with subarachnoid hemorrhage because of the occurrence of life-threatening arrhythmias or pulmonary edema . Monitoring of cardiac events in patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage might result in a better understanding of their clinical outcome, as well as provide a basis for specific treatment capable of preventing myocardial necrosis and cardiac arrhythmias.