The necessity of dual antiplatelet therapy in the use of stent-assisted coil embolization increases the risk of intracranial hemorrhage and possibly rebleeding from a ruptured aneurysm. This heightened risk must be recognized when contemplating the appropriate therapy for a cerebral aneurysm and when considering the placement or manipulation of a ventricular catheter in a patient receiving dual antiplatelet therapy. Further study of intracranial procedures in patients receiving dual antiplatelet therapy is indicated.
Purpose of Review
Idiopathic normal-pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) is characterized clinically by ventriculomegaly, abnormal gait, falls, incontinence, and cognitive decline. This article reviews recent advances in the pathophysiology of iNPH concerning sleep-disordered breathing (SDB) and glymphatic circulation during deep sleep.
Recent Findings
The authors found iNPH frequently associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). A critical factor in iNPH is intracranial venous hypertension delaying drainage of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) into the cerebral venous sinuses. CSF-venous blood circulates in the jugular veins and finally drains into the heart. During SDB, repeated reflex attempts to breathe induce strong respiratory efforts against a closed glottis thereby increasing the negative intrathoracic pressure. This causes atrial distortion and decreases venous return to the heart resulting in retrograde intracranial venous hypertension. Additionally, repeated awakenings from OSA impede sleep-associated circulation of interstitial CSF into the glymphatic circulation contributing to hydrocephalus.
Summary
Sleep has become a critical element in the cognitive changes of aging including iNPH.
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