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Intracranial pressure managementDownloads

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1

A 67-year-old man presents to the emergency department for a headache. The patient states his symptoms started thirty minutes ago. He states he experienced a sudden and severe headache while painting his house, causing him to fall off the ladder and hit his head. He has also experienced two episodes of vomiting and difficulty walking since the fall. The patient has a past medical history of hypertension, obesity, and atrial fibrillation. His current medications include lisinopril, rivaroxaban, atorvastatin, and metformin. His temperature is 99.5°F (37.5°C), blood pressure is 150/105 mmHg, pulse is 90/min, respirations are 15/min, and oxygen saturation is 98% on room air. On physical exam, the patient localizes his headache to the back of his head. Cardiac exam reveals a normal rate and rhythm. Pulmonary exam reveals minor bibasilar crackles. Neurological exam is notable for minor weakness of the muscles of facial expression. Examination of cranial nerve three reveals a notable nystagmus. Heel to shin exam is abnormal bilaterally. The patient's gait is notably ataxic. A non-contrast CT scan of the head is currently pending. Which of the following is the most likely diagnosis?

APontine hemorrhage

BCerebellar hemorrhage

CSubarachnoid hemorrhage

DThalamic hemorrhage

ESubdural hematoma

2

A 60-year-old male is admitted to the ICU for severe hypertension complicated by a headache. The patient has a past medical history of insulin-controlled diabetes, hypertension, and hyperlipidemia. He smokes 2 packs of cigarettes per day. He states that he forgot to take his medications yesterday and started getting a headache about one hour ago. His vitals on admission are the following: blood pressure of 160/110 mmHg, pulse 95/min, temperature 98.6 deg F (37.2 deg C), and respirations 20/min. On exam, the patient has an audible abdominal bruit. After administration of antihypertensive medications, the patient has a blood pressure of 178/120 mmHg. The patient reports his headache has increased to a 10/10 pain level, that he has trouble seeing, and he can't move his extremities. After stabilizing the patient, what is the best next step to diagnose the patient's condition?

ADoppler ultrasound of the carotids

BCT head with intravenous contrast

CMRI head without intravenous contrast

DCT head without intravenous contrast

EMRI head with intravenous contrast

3

Which change in CSF production most directly affects intracranial pressure?

ADecreased arachnoid granulation function

BIncreased choroid plexus blood flow

CDecreased carbonic anhydrase activity

DIncreased osmotic gradient

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