Emergency department management of acute intracerebral hemorrhage

Acute intracerebral hemorrhage accounts for only a small portion of all stroke presentations, but often leads to a high rate of morbidity and mortality. The presentation of patients with ICH is often similar to other stroke patients and requires rapid recognition, imaging, and evaluation. Treatment begins in the emergency department and focuses on correction of abnormal coagulopathies, blood pressure reduction, emergent treatment of intracranial hypertension, and recognition of those in need of urgent surgical decompression. Patients should be admitted to capable critical care units, with expertise in neurocritical care if available. This review presents evidence-based recommendations for the emergency department identification and management of patients with ICH.