REALITY CHECK!
STEP BUILDING PROCESS FOR EFFECTIVE SEARCH STRATEGIES

We would want to search for anticoagulants, perhaps specifically identifying warfarin as the anticoagulant of-choice. We also want to search for the concept of CNS bleeding (which MEDLINE categorizes as a cerebrovascular accident). We may also consider searching for the concept of falls or unstable gait. Secondary elements include the age group and gender.

Let's see how this strategy pans-out in MEDLINE: (click the red '?'s to view search results)

#
 Search History
Results
1
 exp *Warfarin 674
2
 exp *accidental falls 691
3
 exp *cerebrovascular accident 4900
4
 1 and 2 and 3

#
 Search History
Results
1
 exp *Warfarin 674
2
 exp *accidental falls 691
3
 exp *cerebrovascular accident 4900
4
 1 and 2 and 3 0
5
 1 and 2
6
 2 and 3
#
 Search History
Results
1
 exp *Warfarin
674
2
 exp *accidental falls
691
3
 exp *cerebrovascular accident
4900
4
 1 and 2 and 3
0
5
 1 and 2
1
6
 2 and 3
4
7
 exp *anticoagulants
8
 7 and 2 and 3
9
 7 and 2
10
 7 and 3
#
 Search History
Results
1
 exp *Warfarin 674
2
 exp *accidental falls 691
3
 exp *cerebrovascular accident 4900
4
 1 and 2 and 3 0
5
 1 and 2 1
6
 2 and 3 4
7
 exp *anticoagulants 6016
8
 7 and 2 and 3 0
9
 7 and 2 2
10
 7 and 3 134
11
 limit 10 to randomized controlled trials