How is cerebral venous sinus thrombosis treated?

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How is cerebral venous sinus thrombosis treated?

Treatment of cerebral venous sinus thrombosis includes:

  • Anticoagulants, such as heparin, even during pregnancy.
  • Thrombolytics (“clot-busting drugs”).
  • Antibiotics if an infection caused your thrombosis.
  • Removal of the clot (thrombectomy) with surgery for severe cases.
  • Acetazolamide or medical procedures to lower your intracranial pressure (pressure in your brain).
  • Antiepileptic medicines for seizures.

You may need to take warfarin (Coumadin® or Jantoven®) or a direct oral anticoagulant (such as rivaroxaban, apixaban or dabigatran) for three to 12 months, depending on what caused your cerebral venous sinus thrombosis. People with thrombophilia may need to take warfarin for the rest of their lives.

Complications/side effects of the treatment

If you’re taking warfarin, it’s important to be sure you’re taking the right dose. That’s why your healthcare provider will do frequent tests of your blood’s ability to clot. Your dose needs to be high enough to prevent clots that could harm you, but not so high of a dose that you can’t stop bleeding if you get a cut.

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