A patient has been admitted for chronic renal failure. The patient has a history of noncompliance with medication and care. He begins to complain of a severe, throbbing headache in the back of his head and vomits 300 cc of emesis. He states that his vision has become blurry and he is becoming short of breath. What might be the cause of the sudden onset of symptoms?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The most likely cause of the onset of a severe, throbbing headache, vomiting, blurry vision and shortness of breath is a hypertensive crisis. A hypertensive crisis is often precluded by poorly managed hypertension and the presence of conditions such as Cushing's syndrome, chronic renal failure or eclampsia.

A Patient Has Been Admitted for Chronic Renal Failure