What is the best treatment for intracranial hypertension?
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Idiopathic intracranial hypertension is characterized by increased pressure within the skull (intracranial pressure). What triggers the disorder is unknown. Show
(See also Overview of Headache Overview of Headache A headache is pain in any part of the head, including the scalp, upper neck, face, and interior of the head. Headaches are one of the most common reasons people visit a doctor. Headaches interfere... read more .) Idiopathic intracranial hypertension occurs in only about 1 of 100,000 people, usually in women during their reproductive years. However, among young overweight women, it is 20 times more common. As more and more people are becoming overweight, the disorder is becoming more common. Causes of Idiopathic Intracranial HypertensionWhat causes pressure within the skull to increase is unknown. However, certain people are more susceptible to idiopathic intracranial hypertension because the large veins (venous sinuses) that help drain blood from their brain are smaller than in most people. In these people, blood drains from the brain more slowly, causing a back-up of blood, which increases pressure in the brain and/or within the skull. Exactly how being overweight contributes to increased pressure within the skull is unknown. But excess fat in the abdomen may increase pressure in the chest, and blood may not flow from the head to the chest as it normally does. Thus, pressure within the skull may increase. In idiopathic intracranial hypertension, the increased pressure does not result from other identifiable disorders, such as tumors, infections, blood clots, or blockages that prevent the fluid that surrounds the brain (cerebrospinal fluid) from draining as it normally does. In most people, the development of idiopathic intracranial hypertension cannot be traced to any particular event. In children, this disorder sometimes develops after corticosteroids are stopped or after growth hormone is used. Sometimes the disorder develops after people take tetracycline antibiotics Tetracyclines Tetracyclines are a group of antibiotics used to treat many different bacterial infections. Tetracyclines include the following: Doxycycline Eravacycline Minocycline read more or large amounts of vitamin A. Symptoms of Idiopathic Intracranial HypertensionIdiopathic intracranial hypertension usually begins with a daily or almost daily headache, which affects both sides of the head. At first, the headache may be mild, but it varies in intensity and may become severe. The headache may be accompanied by nausea, double or blurred vision, and noises within the head that occur with each beat of the pulse (called pulsatile tinnitus Ear Ringing or Buzzing Ringing in the ears (tinnitus) is noise originating in the ear rather than in the environment. It is a symptom and not a specific disease. Tinnitus is very common—10 to 15% of people experience... read more ). A few people do not have any symptoms. Increased pressure within the skull may cause the optic nerve to swell near the eyeball—a condition called papilledema Papilledema Papilledema is a condition in which increased pressure in or around the brain causes the part of the optic nerve inside the eye to swell. Visual symptoms may be fleeting disturbances in vision... read more . Doctors can observe the swelling by looking at the back of the eye through an ophthalmoscope Ophthalmoscopy A person who has eye symptoms should be checked by a doctor. However, some eye disorders cause few or no symptoms in their early stages, so the eyes should be checked regularly (every 1 to 2... read more . The first sign of vision problems is loss of peripheral (side) vision. People may not notice this loss at first. As a result, people may bump into objects for no apparent reason. Vision may be blurred briefly, sometimes triggered by changing position, and blurring may come and go. Late in the disorder, vision is blurred, and people may quickly become blind. As many as one third of people lose their vision, partially or completely, in one or both eyes. Once vision is lost, it usually does not return, even if the pressure around the brain is relieved. In some people, the disorder becomes chronic and progressively worse, increasing the risk of blindness. Doctors closely monitor and treat such people to prevent loss of vision. Idiopathic intracranial hypertension recurs in about 10 to 20% of people. Diagnosis of Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension
Doctors suspect idiopathic intracranial hypertension based on symptoms and results of a physical examination. Sometimes doctors suspect it when they detect papilledema during a routine examination with an ophthalmoscope. If doctors suspect idiopathic intracranial hypertension, they check the field of vision Visual Field Testing A person who has eye symptoms should be checked by a doctor. However, some eye disorders cause few or no symptoms in their early stages, so the eyes should be checked regularly (every 1 to 2... read more (the entire area of vision that is seen out of each eye), including peripheral vision. They also examine the interior of the eye with an ophthalmoscope if they have not already done so. Magnetic resonance venography is done to evaluate the large veins (called venous sinuses) that carry blood from the brain. This test enables doctors to determine whether the venous sinuses are narrowed or blocked. Narrowed venous sinuses may be the only abnormality that imaging tests detect in people with idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the brain is also done to check for other abnormalities that could increase pressure within the skull. A spinal tap Spinal Tap Diagnostic procedures may be needed to confirm a diagnosis suggested by the medical history and neurologic examination. Electroencephalography (EEG) is a simple, painless procedure in which... read more These and other tests can help identify or rule out other possible causes of increased pressure within the skull (such as a brain tumor blocking the venous sinuses). Treatment of Idiopathic Intracranial Hypertension
Idiopathic intracranial hypertension occasionally resolves without treatment. Treatment of idiopathic intracranial hypertension focuses on the following:
Aspirin, acetaminophen, or drugs used to treat migraines (especially topiramate—see table Some Drugs Used to Treat Migraines Some Drugs Used to Treat Migraines Drugs known to trigger the disorder, such as tetracycline, should be stopped. Reduction of pressure within the skullOverweight people with idiopathic intracranial hypertension should lose weight because doing so may reduce pressure within the skull. Idiopathic intracranial hypertension may resolve when as little as 10% of body weight is lost. However, weight reduction programs are often unsuccessful. Doctors often prescribe acetazolamide or topiramate, taken by mouth, to help reduce pressure within the skull. Acetazolamide and topiramate are effective because they reduce the amount of cerebrospinal fluid produced in the brain. The usefulness of doing spinal taps daily or weekly to remove cerebrospinal fluid is debated. This treatment may be used when people are at risk of losing their vision while they are waiting for more effective treatment (such as surgery to relieve the pressure within the skull). If regular spinal taps are done, people are closely monitored to determine whether pressure is decreasing. CT venography or magnetic resonance venography Magnetic resonance venography In magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a strong magnetic field and very high frequency radio waves are used to produce highly detailed images. MRI does not use x-rays and is usually very safe... read more Preserving visionPermanent loss of vision is the main concern in people with idiopathic intracranial hypertension. Because peripheral vision is lost early, before people notice it, an ophthalmologist periodically checks vision, including peripheral vision, using an automated device (a test called perimetry Visual Field Testing A person who has eye symptoms should be checked by a doctor. However, some eye disorders cause few or no symptoms in their early stages, so the eyes should be checked regularly (every 1 to 2... read more ). The device produces a visual stimulus (such as a flash of light) and records the person's responses. Results are very accurate. This periodic testing enables doctors to identify problems with vision as soon as possible. If vision deteriorates despite these measures, surgery to reduce pressure within the skull may be needed and may be able to save vision. Procedures include
In optic nerve sheath fenestration, slits are cut in the covering of the optic nerve behind the eyeball. These slits allow cerebrospinal fluid to escape into the tissues around the eye, where the fluid is absorbed. A shunt is a permanent drain made of plastic tubing. It can be surgically placed so that excess cerebrospinal fluid can be removed. The shunt is placed in the spaces within the brain or in the space just below the spinal cord in the lower back. The tubing is run under the skin, usually to the abdomen, where excess fluid can drain. Stenting involves placing a wire mesh tube (stent) in the narrowed venous sinus. The stent is then opened up to widen the venous sinus. What helps reduce intracranial pressure?How is ICP treated?. Medicine to reduce swelling.. Draining extra cerebrospinal fluid or bleeding around the brain.. Removing part of the skull (craniotomy) to ease swelling (though this is rare). What should I avoid if I have intracranial hypertension?You may need to limit the amount of fats and salt you eat. You may also need to limit foods rich in vitamin A and tyramine. Foods rich in vitamin A include beef liver, sweet potatoes, carrots, tomatoes, and leafy greens. Food and drinks that are high in tyramine include cheese, pepperoni, salami, beer, and wine.
Can you get rid of intracranial hypertension?With treatment, in most cases, this condition goes away. However, increased pressure can return months or even years later. You can reduce this risk by helping your child maintain a healthy weight. It is important to have regular eye exams to check for vision loss even after the intracranial hypertension gets better.
What medication is most commonly used to decrease intracranial pressure?Mannitol is the most commonly used hyperosmolar agent for the treatment of intracranial hypertension.
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