Question

An older adult presents to the emergency department with complaints of dizziness headache and nausea the patient was involved in a motor vehicle collision 10 days ago there’s no loss of consciousness and a hematoma is noted to the forehead the patient is currently an anticoagulant therapy what is the likely cause of the symptoms?

Answer 1

An older adult on anticoagulant therapy presenting with headache, dizziness, and nausea after a motor vehicle accident likely experienced a hemorrhagic stroke or a concussion, with symptoms exacerbated by the medication.

Step-by-step explanation:

An older adult presenting with dizziness, headache, and nausea following a motor vehicle collision and being on anticoagulant therapy is likely to have suffered from a hemorrhagic stroke or a concussion. The hematoma noted on the forehead indicates a head injury which could have resulted in a hemorrhagic stroke due to the rupture of a blood vessel within the brain. A hemorrhagic stroke results in bleeding into the brain and can lead to symptoms such as dizziness, headache, and nausea due to the pressure exerted on brain tissue and the disruption of normal cerebral blood flow. The anticoagulant therapy can exacerbate bleeding and increase the risk of a hemorrhagic stroke. It is crucial to evaluate the patient immediately through appropriate diagnostic imaging to confirm the diagnosis and begin adequate treatment to reduce potential long-term damage.