How to Control Hypertension in Head Injury Patients

Cerebral hypertension can result from car crashes, falls from great heights or other mishaps. It is increased pressure to the brain, often resulting in severe migraines and elevations of intracranial pressure. Various methods have been proven to alleviate pain and speed recovery, but every head trauma is different, according to age, race, gender and the extent of damage to the skull.

Instructions

• 1

  Emphasize the importance of proper breathing. Inadequate blood oxygen levels or high carbon dioxide levels cause cerebral blood vessels to dilate, increasing intracranial blood pressure by allowing more blood to reach the brain. To avoid this, patients must learn to regulate their breathing by finding ways to relax. By listening to slow music, taking deep breaths or practicing yoga or tai chi, a patient can ease hypertension while releasing endorphins and relieving bodily stress.

• 2

  Relieve intracranial pressure with Mannitol. Used to reduce elevated pressure within the brain, Mannitol is a drug that is administered directly into the bloodstream to deliver quick results. It serves as the first step for patients suffering from a head injury and can also work as a barrier-breaker, shrinking endothelial cells to allow blood direct access to the brain. This allows other administered medication to reach the brain more quickly.

• 3

  Induce hypothermia by placing a patient in a tub of ice or extremely cold water. This will reduce blood flow to the brain by lowering his temperature faster than the body can restore it. As a result intracranial pressure and brain swelling is reduced. However, if the patient's temperature goes too low or if he remains in the water too long, his entire body will begin to shut down as functions of the heart, digestive system and surrounding organs become limited.

• 4

  Insert a shunt. Used to control hypertension in head injury patients, a shunt regulates the flow of cerebral spinal fluid (CSF) and forces excess amounts to be drained by a catheter. The shunt is composed of a flexible plastic tube, valve and catheter. One end of the catheter is placed within a ventricle of the brain. If this presents a problem, the doctor may place it directly in cerebral spinal fluid, located just outside the spinal cord. The other end of the catheter is then placed somewhere the CSF can be easily drained. It is often placed in the abdominal cavity.