Geoffrey S. F. Ling

In 2004, approximately 9 million people worldwide experienced a stroke, with the majority being ischemic in nature. While the prognosis for recovery can be good, long-term survival and functional outcome can be improved. Stroke survivors are at an increased risk for recurrent stroke and other ischemic vascular events and face significant cross-risk for atherothrombotic conditions affecting the coronary and peripheral vascular beds. As such, the secondary prevention of ischemic events in patients with stroke has focused on the treatment of atherosclerosis as a whole, with antiplatelet therapy playing a key role. There is some controversy regarding optimal antiplatelet therapy following stroke. The appropriate use of specific agents, the impact of stroke type and proper dosing, and other questions stem from an incomplete understanding of the issues, variability in clinical trial data, diversity in patient demographics, and differences in antiplatelet regimens. This review evaluates the clinical evidence for antiplatelet therapy in patients that have suffered an ischemic stroke, with an emphasis on balancing the benefits of a particular antiplatelet regimen with its attendant risk profile. The critical assessment of emerging trial data and its impact on existing treatment guidelines may aid in choosing the most appropriate antiplatelet regimen for comprehensive secondary prevention following stroke.

To review the emerging literature on traumatic brain injury (TBI) caused by explosive blast. Efforts are underway to understand how explosive blast injures brain, what is the clinical presentation and how best to manage it. A major way blast injures brain is from detonation pressure waves coupling to a victim's head leading to brain deformation. The effect of other explosion-related elements is unknown. Because scientific insights take time to develop but injuries are occurring now, the military adopts existing civilian standard of care practices developed for similar diseases, such as the Guidelines for the Management of Severe Traumatic Brain Injury developed mainly for closed head TBI. When these do not exist, the military creates them, such as the Veterans Administration and Department of Defense Clinical Practice Guidelines for Concussion/Mild TBI. Another treatment advance is the creation of the first large system-wide approach to diagnosis and clinical management of TBI, which begins at the site of injury and extends through both the military and the Veterans' Administration medical care systems. Explosive blast TBI is being addressed at all levels - basic research through clinical care. New clinical practice guidelines are being used in a standardized system-wide approach.

The delivery of combat casualty care poses numerous challenges including austere conditions, limited supplies and medical personnel, and multiple simultaneous patients. However, the exigent circumstances of the battlefield compel the development of research and the advancement of adaptive, practical medical technologies to support and sustain military health. In Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) and Operation Iraqi Freedom (OIF), modern changes in medical management, coupled with improved protective gear and evacuation capabilities, have facilitated the highest survival rate in combat history.

Atherothrombosis is the leading cause of death worldwide and has a large economic impact. It is a pathologic process related to atherosclerosis, which leads to adverse clinical manifestations, including acute coronary syndrome, cerebrovascular disease, and peripheral arterial disease. Patients with atherothrombosis are at heightened risk for recurrent ischemic events or death, and therefore, secondary prevention is an important goal in the treatment of these patients. Antiplatelet therapies available for long-term secondary prevention include aspirin (acetylsalicylic acid), extended-release dipyridamole plus aspirin, and clopidogrel. A number of clinical trials have demonstrated the benefit of combined antiplatelet therapy in secondary prevention, supporting the recommendations made in current published guidelines. Although the efficacy and safety of antiplatelet agents is well established and supported by clinical trials, their utilization rate in patients with atherothrombosis remains suboptimal. Quality improvement initiatives have demonstrated effectiveness in promoting the awareness and implementation of treatment guidelines. This article reviews the benefits and risks of antiplatelet therapy in patients with cardiovascular disease with the aim of spurring greater adherence to treatment recommendations and, thereby, better patient outcomes.

Explosive blast traumatic brain injury (TBI) is one of the more serious wounds suffered by United States service members injured in the current conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. Some military medical treatments for blast TBI that have been introduced successfully in the war theater include decompressive craniectomy, cerebral angiography, transcranial Doppler, hypertonic resuscitation fluids, among others. Stateside neurosurgery, neuro-critical care, and rehabilitation for these patients have similarly progressed. With experience, military physicians have been able to clinically describe blast TBI across the entire severity spectrum. One important clinical finding is that a significant number of severe blast TBI victims develop pseudoaneurysms and vasospasm, which can lead to delayed decompensation. Another is that mild blast TBI shares clinical features with post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Observations suggest that the mechanism by which explosive blast injures the central nervous system may be more complex than initially assumed. Rigorous study at the basic science and clinical levels, including detailed biomechanical analysis, is needed to improve understanding of this disease. A comprehensive epidemiological study is also warranted to determine the prevalence of this disease and the factors that contribute most to the risk of developing it. Sadly, this military-specific disease has significant potential to become a civilian one as well.