Medical complications after subarachnoid hemorrhage.

The prevention and management of medical complications are important for improving outcomes after subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH). Fever, anemia requiring transfusion, hyperglycemia, hyponatremia, pneumonia, hypertension, and neurogenic cardiopulmonary dysfunction occur frequently after SAH. There is increasing evidence that acute hypoxia and extremes of blood pressure can exacerbate brain injury during the acute phase of bleeding. There are promising strategies to minimize these complications. Randomized controlled trials are needed to evaluate the risks and benefits of these and other medical management strategies after SAH.