Helping patients recover from subarachnoid haemorrhage

Abstract

Patients recovering from Subarachnoid Haemorrhage (SAH) have to contend with symptoms of post traumatic stress, poor quality information about their illness and a climate of opinion which is heavily biased in favour of cognitive and behavioural impairment. The results of a four year intensive follow up of one hundred survivors of SAH indicate that most of the anxieties surrounding their convalescence are unnecessary and can be relieved by appropriate and informed counselling.