Journal of emergency nursing : JEN : official publication of the Emergency Department Nurses Association
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Aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) is a devastating neurologic insult often presenting to the emergency department as a headache. Recognition and prompt treatment are important to good outcomes. The purpose of this analysis was to examine the presentation of aSAH patients to the emergency department and determine whether presentation predicts length of stay or death. ⋯ Although aSAH presentation remains the same, this analysis did find a correlation between poor clinical grade and bradycardia to be a significant predictor of death at 30 days. Additional study may help to determine whether any intervention could lessen this effect. Although patient diagnosis and referral from the community emergency department to a tertiary center were relatively quick, there was a wide window of time between patient recognition of symptoms and seeking medical treatment.