Infectious Intracranial Aneurysms: Triage and Management

Infectious intracranial aneurysms are a rare but serious potential complication of subacute endocarditis. Early diagnosis and treatment is essential to prevent devastating neurological deficits and mortality. Because nurse practitioners' roles expand into acute care as well as urgent care settings, they are frequently involved in the care of this population. Identifying the patients at risk, ordering appropriate studies, and initiating goal directed therapy are vital to outcomes. For nurse practitioners who are involved in care of neuroscience populations, it is important to be familiar with disease processes. This article provides a literature review of the topic, explores diagnostic methods, discusses management strategies, and presents an illustrative case.