Final answer:
Increased pressure within the skull following head trauma is indicated by elevated systolic blood pressure and decreasing pulse rate, known as Cushing's reflex, which involves the body's response to maintain cerebral perfusion in the face of increased intracranial pressure.
Step-by-step explanation:
The vital signs that indicate the development of increased pressure within the skull following head trauma are elevated systolic blood pressure and decreasing pulse rate. This pattern is known as Cushing's reflex and it is a physiological response to increased intracranial pressure (ICP). Specifically, evidence of increased cerebrospinal fluid pressure, change in blood pressure, and slowing of the heart rate can signal the need for immediate medical attention after head trauma.
Baroreceptors in the body can detect changes in blood pressure. A rise in cerebrospinal fluid pressure can trigger an increase in systemic arterial pressure as an attempt to maintain cerebral perfusion pressure, which might manifest as an elevated systolic blood pressure. The baroreceptor response to this increased blood pressure can further result in a slowing of the heart rate, or decreasing pulse rate, as the body attempts to regulate itself.