Nursing Measures for Subarachnoid Hemorrhage

Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
Updated on September 04, 2024
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Subarachnoid hemorrhage is a rather dangerous disease that develops very quickly, causing severe headaches, nausea, vomiting in patients, and this disease has a high probability of bleeding, potentially causing some cerebral vasospasm, leading to secondary thrombus formation. Besides prompt treatment and identifying the cause, such as clipping an aneurysm, nursing measures are also very important. Common nursing measures mainly include: First, it is essential to educate the patient to stay in bed and rest absolutely, as premature activity may cause the aneurysm to rupture and rebleed. Second, the patient must be instructed to maintain smooth bowel movements and a stable emotional state to prevent increased intracranial pressure and rebleeding due to emotional excitement or constipation. Third, the patient should be encouraged to drink more water and be given sufficient fluids to prevent cerebral vasospasm and low perfusion effects. Other nursing measures include stabilizing the patient's mood and providing sedation when necessary.

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Written by Zhang Hui
Neurology
1min 4sec home-news-image

Does subarachnoid hemorrhage require surgery?

Subarachnoid hemorrhage is a rather dangerous disease with very high mortality and disability rates. It mainly manifests as sudden severe headaches, nausea, and vomiting, and complications such as bleeding, cerebral vasospasm, and electrolyte disorders can occur. The most common cause of subarachnoid hemorrhage is due to the rupture of an aneurysm. Therefore, it is generally advocated that patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage undergo surgery as soon as possible. The surgical method mainly involves local anesthesia, and a complete cerebral angiography is performed to check for the presence of an aneurysm. If an aneurysm is present, an interventional embolization can be performed, which causes less trauma and generally has a better prognosis. If there is a large amount of bleeding and the patient's life is in danger, a craniotomy may also be necessary. Thus, patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage need to undergo surgical treatment.

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Written by Wang Li Bing
Intensive Care Medicine Department
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Subarachnoid hemorrhage should go to which department?

Subarachnoid hemorrhage is also relatively common in clinical settings. Its symptoms primarily include severe headaches, reflex vomiting, possible consciousness disturbances, and even seizures. Following the occurrence of subarachnoid hemorrhage, a cranial CT scan can be used for a definitive diagnosis. Patients typically seek treatment in neurology or neurosurgery departments. After admission to a neurology ward, DSA (Digital Subtraction Angiography) can be conducted to accurately locate the bleeding site, and interventional embolization treatments may be considered. If the patient has a large volume of subarachnoid hemorrhage, neurosurgery might be considered for the removal of intracranial hematomas or decompressive craniectomy, among other procedures.

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Written by Liu Yan Hao
Neurology
1min 18sec home-news-image

Subarachnoid hemorrhage is caused by what?

The most common cause of subarachnoid hemorrhage is the rupture of a cerebral aneurysm. The subarachnoid space is located on the surface of the brain, surrounded by three layers of meninges: from inner to outer, they are the pia mater, arachnoid mater, and dura mater. The space between the pia mater and arachnoid mater is known as the subarachnoid space. Following the rupture of a cerebral aneurysm, blood enters this subarachnoid space, leading to hemorrhage. Subarachnoid hemorrhage is a critical condition in internal medicine, with a relatively high mortality rate. The most common cause is a cerebral aneurysm, and patients who have suffered a subarachnoid hemorrhage should undergo brain MRI and vascular imaging to check for the presence of cerebral aneurysms or vascular abnormalities. If a cerebral aneurysm is present, it needs to be treated promptly. Typical interventions include placing a coiling spring to close off the aneurysm, preventing it from rupturing and thus averting a secondary subarachnoid hemorrhage, which has a mortality rate as high as 50%. Another common cause of subarachnoid hemorrhage is brain trauma, which is also a frequent cause of this condition.

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Written by Tang Li Li
Neurology
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What to pay attention to during the recovery period of subarachnoid hemorrhage?

Patients with subarachnoid hemorrhage generally have aneurysms or arteriovenous malformations as the cause. After onset, the main symptom is usually headache, with positive meningeal irritation signs found during examination, but no signs of neurological function deficit. Therefore, during the recovery phase, patients generally do not show positive neurological signs and have good limb mobility. It is only necessary to take precautions against the cause of the disease. For instance, if the patient's cerebral aneurysm has not been surgically treated, there could be a risk of rebleeding. Patients should minimize physical activity, rest in bed as much as possible, and avoid aneurysm rupture. Regular blood pressure control is also essential. If the cause has already been addressed, there are not many precautions needed. Additionally, long-term administration of nimodipine is necessary to prevent delayed cerebral vasospasm, generally recommended for a period of four to six months. (Medication should be used under the guidance of a doctor based on specific conditions.)

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Written by Li Ai Ping
Neurology
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What to do with a headache from subarachnoid hemorrhage?

Subarachnoid hemorrhage, the most typical symptom of which is headache, often manifests as a sudden severe throbbing or bursting pain. The pain may be localized to a specific area of the head, or it may affect the entire head or neck, and it generally persists continuously. If such a headache occurs, one should first rest in bed, avoid emotional excitement and exerting great force, such as coughing, shouting loudly, or straining during bowel movements, etc. If the pain is unbearable, one can ask a doctor for appropriate pain relief medication. However, if the headache suddenly worsens, one should be cautious of the condition deteriorating and should seek medical advice to investigate the cause of the worsening headache. One should not blindly request medication for pain relief, as it may mask the underlying condition.