Adult Head Injury – Anticoagulant/Antiplatelet

Adult Head Injury – Anticoagulant/Antiplatelet

You have been assessed by a doctor or clinician after you banged your head and we happy for you to go home.

You are currently taking a ‘blood thinning’ medicine.  Examples of blood thinning medicines are shown below:

Vitamin K antagonist                           an anticoagulant         e.g. Warfarin

Direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC)       an anticoagulant         e.g. Rivaroxaban, Apixaban, Edoxaban

Thienopyridine                                    an anti-platelet agent e.g. Clopidogrel, Prasugel

We think it is unlikely that any significant problems will develop, but because you have slightly thinner blood than normal, you have a slightly higher chance of developing problems than someone with normal blood.  The increased risk due to taking the blood thinner may last for about a week.

We have discussed the small increased risk of brain bleeds with blood thinning medicines and decided together that we will not perform a CT Brain scan today. However, you are aware you should return to the Emergency Department if you experience any new symptoms of concern, such as those listed below

We have performed a CT Brain scan, and this does not show any brain bleed.  However, you are aware you should return to the Emergency Department if you experience any new symptoms of concern, such as those listed below.

You are taking Warfarin and we have measured your INR (warfarin level, blood test) and it is:

You have been given the following advice regarding continuing you ‘blood thinning’ medicines:

Symptoms that are concerning following a Head Injury

It is important to look out for the following new symptoms and if you are affected by any of these please return to the Emergency Department or call 999.

• Unconsciousness or lack of full consciousness (for example, problems keeping eyes open)
• Any confusion (not knowing where you are, getting things muddled)
• Any drowsiness (feeling sleepy) that goes on longer than 1 hour when you would normally be wide awake
• Any problems understanding or speaking
• Any loss of balance or problems walking
• Any weakness in one or more arms or legs
• Any problems with your eyesight
• Very painful headache that won’t go away
• Any vomiting – getting sick
• Any fits or collapsing or passing out suddenly
• Clear fluid coming out of your ear or nose
• Bleeding from one or both ears
• New deafness in one or both ears

Symptoms NOT to worry about

It is common for some people to experience the following symptoms:

• Mild headache
• Feeling sick (without vomiting)
• Dizziness
• Change in mood or behaviour
• Irritability or bad temper
• Problems concentrating or with your memory
• Tiredness and problems sleeping
• Lack of appetite

These symptoms are NOT a sign of anything dangerous and should disappear within the next two weeks.  If these problems do not go away after 2 weeks you should arrange to see your GP.

DO’s and DON’T’s

• DO make sure you stay within easy reach of a telephone and medical help
• DO have plenty of rest and avoid stressful situations
• DO drink plenty of fluids
• DO NOT stay at home alone for the first 48 hours after leaving hospital
• DO NOT take any alcohol or drugs
• DO NOT take sleeping pills, sedatives or tranquillizers unless they are fully prescribed by a doctor
• DO NOT play contact sports (for example football or rugby) for at least 3 weeks or longer if you still have symptoms
• DO NOT return to normal work, school or college, or normal activities until you feel fully recovered
• DO NOT drive a car, motorbike, bicycle or operate any machinery unless you feel you have recovered completely

If you need further advice, please contact the Emergency Department – details below

Patient Experience

We know that being admitted to hospital can be a difficult and unsettling time for you and your loved ones. If you have any questions or concerns, please do speak with a member of staff on the ward or in the relevant department who will do their best to answer your questions and reassure you. 

Feedback

Feedback is really important and useful to us – it can tell us where we are working well and where improvements can be made. There are lots of ways you can share your experience with us including completing our Friends and Family Test – cards are available and can be posted on all wards, departments and clinics at our hospitals. We value your comments and feedback and thank you for taking the time to share this with us.

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

If you have any concerns or questions about your care, we advise you to talk with the nurse in charge or the department manager in the first instance as they are best placed to answer any questions or resolve concerns quickly. If the relevant member of staff is unable to help resolve your concern, you can contact the PALS Team. We offer informal help, advice or support about any aspect of hospital services & experiences.

Our PALS team will liaise with the various departments in our hospitals on your behalf, if you feel unable to do so, to resolve your problems and where appropriate refer to outside help.

If you are still unhappy you can contact the Complaints Department, who can investigate your concerns. You can make a complaint orally, electronically or in writing and we can advise and guide you through the complaints procedure.

How to contact PALS:

Telephone Patient Services: 0300 123 1732 or via email at: wah-tr.PALS@nhs.net

Opening times:

The PALS telephone lines are open Monday to Friday from 8.30am to 4.00pm. Please be aware that you may need to leave a voicemail message, but we aim to return your call within one working day.

If you are unable to understand this leaflet, please communicate with a member of staff.