Idiopathic intracranial hypertension: Difference between revisions

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==Clinical Features==
==Clinical Features==
*Tends to occur in young, obese women
*[[Headache]]
*[[Headache]]
**Tend to be worse at night or first thing in the morning
**Tend to be worse at night or first thing in the morning
**Frequently starts as dull occipital pain, may become diffuse and throbbing
**Frequently starts as dull occipital pain, may become diffuse and throbbing
**Typically worse with maneuvers to increase ICP
*[[Nausea and Vomiting]]
*[[Nausea and Vomiting]]
*Vision blurring
*[[blurred vision|Vision blurring]]
*[[Papilledema]]
**can be visualized with [[Ocular ultrasound|ultrasound]]
*Irregular menses or amenorrhea
*Irregular menses or amenorrhea
*[[Neuro exam]] often normal
**May have [[cranial nerve palsies]] if severe, most often [[abducens nerve palsy]]


==Differential Diagnosis==
==Differential Diagnosis==
*Aneurysm rupture and [[Subarachnoid Hemorrhage]]
{{Headache DDX}}
*[[Brain tumor]]
*[[Encephalitis]]
*[[Head Injury]]
*Hydrocephalus (increased CSF)
*Hypertensive brain hemorrhage
*Intraventricular hemorrhage
*[[Cerebral venous sinus thrombosis]]
*[[Meningitis]]
*[[Subdural Hematoma]]
*[[Status epilepticus]]
*[[Stroke]]


==Evaluation==
==Evaluation==
*Young, obese women
*[[head CT|CT]] (negative or slit-like ventricles)
*[[Headache]] (worse in AM / with manuvers increasing ICP)
*Papilledema (optic atrophy/vision loss)
**can be visualized with [[Ocular ultrasound|ultrasound]]
*[[Neuro Exam]] frequently normal
**May have cranial nerve palsies in severe, most often CN 6
 
===Work-Up===
*CT scan (negative or slit-like ventricles)
*[[LP]] (Opening pressure >25)
*[[LP]] (Opening pressure >25)
**CSF lab studies by [[lumbar puncture]] are negative
**CSF lab studies by [[lumbar puncture]] are negative

Revision as of 03:24, 3 October 2019

Background

  • Also known as pseudotumor cerebri/benign intracranial hypertension (BIH)
  • Cause is idiopathic, but believed be due to impaired CSF absorption at arachnoid villi
  • Associated with OCPs, vitamin A, tetracycline and thyroid disorders

Clinical Features

Differential Diagnosis

Headache

Common

Killers

Maimers

Others

Aseptic Meningitis

Evaluation

  • CT (negative or slit-like ventricles)
  • LP (Opening pressure >25)
    • CSF lab studies by lumbar puncture are negative
    • No special CSF studies need to be sent, unless differential includes etiologies for infection, hemorrhage, etc
  • CT or MR venogram (to rule out cerebral venous sinus thrombosis)

Management

  • Repeat LPs (decrease CSF pressure) - large volume LPs on the order of 30-40 cc of CSF
  • Acetazolamide 500mg BID (decrease CSF production)
  • Furosemide 20mg PO BID, give potassium supp as needed
  • Weight loss
  • CSF Shunt
  • Optic nerve sheath fenestration

Disposition

  • Admit for:
    • Severe pain
    • Focal findings
    • Vision changes
  • Otherwise, discharge with ophtho follow up for formal visual field monitoring

External Links

See Also

References