Final answer:
The three signs preceding an ecclamptic attack are headaches, visual disturbances, and upper abdominal pain. Reflexes like hyperreflexia and the clasp-knife response are indicators of potential progression towards eclampsia, a severe complication in pregnancy.
Step-by-step explanation:
The three classic signs preceding an ecclamptic attack are:
- Headaches
- Visual disturbances, such as blurring or photophobia
- Upper abdominal pain, especially in the right upper quadrant or epigastric area
In addition to these signs, the reflexes of a patient at risk of eclampsia are often checked. A noticeable sign is hyperreflexia, which is an overactive or overresponsive reflex. Clinicians may also check for the clasp-knife response, which is a sign of Upper Motor Neuron (UMN) disease and includes an initial resistance to passive muscle movement followed by a sudden release of resistance.
These symptoms and reflex responses provide crucial information about the potential progression towards an eclamptic attack, which is a severe complication of preeclampsia that can endanger both the mother and the fetus.