Common neurologic emergencies for nonneurologists: When minutes count

Cleve Clin J Med. 2016 Feb;83(2):116-26. doi: 10.3949/ccjm.83a.14121.

Abstract

Neurologic emergencies arise frequently and, if not diagnosed and treated quickly, can have devastating results, with high rates of long-term disability and death. Prompt recognition is an important skill. This article provides detailed analyses of acute stroke, subarachnoid hemorrhage, status epilepticus, and other neurologic emergencies for physicians who are not neurologists.

Publication types

  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Antihypertensive Agents / therapeutic use
  • Blood Coagulation Disorders / chemically induced
  • Blood Coagulation Disorders / complications
  • Blood Coagulation Disorders / drug therapy
  • Brain / diagnostic imaging*
  • Cerebral Hemorrhage / diagnosis
  • Cerebral Hemorrhage / etiology
  • Cerebral Hemorrhage / therapy*
  • Diuretics, Osmotic / therapeutic use
  • Emergencies*
  • Fibrinolytic Agents / therapeutic use
  • Humans
  • Intracranial Hypertension / diagnosis
  • Intracranial Hypertension / therapy*
  • Mannitol / therapeutic use
  • Patient Positioning / methods
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors / therapeutic use
  • Saline Solution, Hypertonic / therapeutic use
  • Seizures
  • Spinal Puncture
  • Status Epilepticus
  • Stroke / diagnosis
  • Stroke / therapy*
  • Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / diagnosis*
  • Subarachnoid Hemorrhage / therapy
  • Time-to-Treatment
  • Tissue Plasminogen Activator / therapeutic use
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Substances

  • Antihypertensive Agents
  • Diuretics, Osmotic
  • Fibrinolytic Agents
  • Platelet Aggregation Inhibitors
  • Saline Solution, Hypertonic
  • Mannitol
  • Tissue Plasminogen Activator