Since Ariel Sharon was felled by a massive brain hemorrhage there have been a number of press reports that the blood thinners he had been prescribed were probably unnecessary as treatment for his first, minor, stroke, but probably precipitated the second and far more devastating event.

Now there seems to be more evidence pointing to this conclusion.

According to this new article in Ha'aretz, doctors have now ascertained that Sharon was suffering from a disease called cerebral amyloid angiopathy, a disease of the blood vessels of the brain. According to the article, had doctors made the correct diagnosis during Sharon's initial hospitalization, they almost certainly would have refrained from prescribing blood thinners.

The story is based on the account of an unnamed doctor who has apparently been involved in Sharon's treatment. He describes the failure as a "screw up". Other information in the article suggests the condition is difficult to diagnose.