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RESEARCH PRODUCT

Erythropoietin for Subarachnoid Hemorrhage: Is There a Reason for Hope?

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I b S a r a S ubarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) associated with a ruptured cerebral aneurysm remains a source of significant morbidity and mortality, not only from the initial hemorrhage but lso from the delayed complications, such as cerebral vasospasm ften severe enough to induce irreversible changes in cerebral erfusion. Several drugs have been developed that have the otential to limit cerebral vasospasm and delayed ischemic eurologic deficit, thus improving outcome for patients. Howver, although numerous agents that can prevent arterial narrowng and/or block the excitatory cascade of events leading to schemic neuronal death in experimental conditions, there is still o pharmacologic agent that has been shown conclusively to mprove the outcome in the clinical practice. Because the SAHnduced cerebrovascular dysfunction is a multifactorial process, he available pharmacologic therapies are addressed to counterct the main causative processes. The main therapeutic intervenions used are limited to manipulation of systemic blood presure, alteration of blood volume or viscosity, and control of rterial carbon dioxide tension.