Management of intracranial hypertension.

Intracranial hypertension is the final common denominator of morbidity and mortality for diverse neurologic problems, and its proper treatment requires the heuristic application of the available therapeutic alternatives when the clinical situation and patient's prognosis warrants treatment. The initial therapeutic focus for ICP reduction should be control of factors that may aggravate intracranial hypertension such as inappropriate head and body position, elevated body temperature, pain, noxious stimuli, elevated airway pressure, elevated blood pressure, seizures, and hypotonic intravenous fluids. The appropriate conventional therapies (e.g., hyperventilation, osmotic agents, sedatives, barbiturates, and cerebrospinal fluid removal) should be selected based on the details of each individual case. Surgical removal of intracranial mass lesions may be indicated in some circumstances, particularly for intractable intracranial hypertension and progressive, severe brain tissue shifts.