A condition in which the pressure of the cerebrospinal fluid or brain matter within the skull exceeds the upper limits for normal pressure. Many conditions can cause increases in the intracranial pressure including metabolic, toxic, traumatic, infectious, neoplastic and idiopathic. See the individual causes above for other preventive measures.
Adults tolerate increased intracranial pressure less well.
This condition is critical. The affected person will be in the hospital, possibly in an intensive care unit. Home care instructions will be sent home after the condition that caused the increased pressure has been resolved. Herniation of the brainstem can be fatal. Slow increases may be tolerated fairly well if the condition causing the increase can be controlled.