These data indicate that the trauma patient with preinjury anticoagulation such as warfarin or even aspirin who has an intracranial injury has a four- to fivefold higher risk of death than the nonanticoagulated patient. The efficacy of reversing the anticoagulant effect at the time of hospital admission remains to be evaluated.

The use of antiplatelet agents with elderly trauma patients significantly increases the risk of mortality when head injury involves intracranial hemorrhage.

Neither the initial GCS nor INR in anticoagulated trauma patients reliably identifies patients with ICH. Rapid confirmation of ICH with expedited head CT scan combined with prompt reversal of warfarin anticoagulation with fresh frozen plasma decreases ICH progression and reduces mortality.