A patient with increased ICP may present with which vital signs change?

A patient with increased ICP may present with which vital signs change?

• A. Widened pulse pressure
• B. Punctate retinal hemorrhages
• C. Bradycardia
• D. Elevated body temperature

Answer: (B)

When intracranial pressure is raised, the body engages a brainstem-mediated response to preserve blood flow to the brain. This is known as the Cushing response and it produces characteristic vital-sign changes: the systolic pressure tends to rise with an overall widening of the pulse pressure, and the heart rate often slows (bradycardia). Respirations may become irregular as well. Punctate retinal hemorrhages are an ocular finding and not a direct vital-sign change; raised intracranial pressure more commonly shows signs on the exam of the brain’s compensatory system (like bradycardia and widened pulse pressure) or optic signs such as papilledema rather than tiny retinal dots. A fever or elevated temperature isn’t a hallmark of increased ICP. So, the vital-sign changes you’d expect with increased ICP are bradycardia and widened pulse pressure, reflecting the Cushing response.

When intracranial pressure is raised, the body engages a brainstem-mediated response to preserve blood flow to the brain. This is known as the Cushing response and it produces characteristic vital-sign changes: the systolic pressure tends to rise with an overall widening of the pulse pressure, and the heart rate often slows (bradycardia). Respirations may become irregular as well.

Punctate retinal hemorrhages are an ocular finding and not a direct vital-sign change; raised intracranial pressure more commonly shows signs on the exam of the brain’s compensatory system (like bradycardia and widened pulse pressure) or optic signs such as papilledema rather than tiny retinal dots. A fever or elevated temperature isn’t a hallmark of increased ICP.

So, the vital-sign changes you’d expect with increased ICP are bradycardia and widened pulse pressure, reflecting the Cushing response.