Question

"In contrast to patients in shock, patients with increased intracranial pressure MOST often experience:

A. tachycardia and tachypnea.
B. a widened pulse pressure.
C. an increased diastolic blood pressure.
D. systolic hypotension."

Answer 1

Patients with increased intracranial pressure typically experience a widened pulse pressure, part of Cushing's triad, which also includes bradycardia and irregular respirations.

Step-by-step explanation:

In contrast to patients in shock who commonly experience tachycardia and hypotension, patients with increased intracranial pressure (ICP) MOST often experience a widened pulse pressure, which is a larger difference between the systolic and diastolic blood pressures.

Specifically, one of the classic signs of increased ICP is Cushing's triad, which consists of three primary signs: high blood pressure (with a widened pulse pressure), bradycardia, and irregular respirations.

Increased ICP can lead to decreased cerebral perfusion and subsequent brain hypoxia and damage if not managed promptly.