Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a condition defined by extraverted blood in the subarachnoid
space. Blood activates meningeal nociceptors leading to occipital pain and meningism
signs.
1
Approximately 80% of patients with nontraumatic SAH have ruptured saccular aneurysms.
1
If an SAH is left untreated, the patient will have a poor prognosis or will die.
Therefore it is imperative that ED staff know how to recognize the early signs and
start treatment immediately upon SAH confirmation. For the purpose of this article,
SAH will be discussed from an ED perspective to include diagnosis and treatment.To read this article in full you will need to make a payment
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Biography
Mark R. Reinhardt is Chief, Ambulatory Nursing, Winn Army Community Hospital, Fort Stewart, GA.
Article Info
Publication History
Published online: December 21, 2009
Accepted:
September 11,
2009
Received in revised form:
September 3,
2009
Received:
February 4,
2009
Footnotes
Earn Up to 8.5 CE Hours. See page 390.
Identification
Copyright
© 2010 Emergency Nurses Association. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
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