Acute & emergency · UKMLA & AKT
Subarachnoid haemorrhage
A free high-yield preview for the UKMLA Applied Knowledge Test. Below are the key points to recognise subarachnoid haemorrhage — the full SA Note notes add investigations, management, complications and 10 practice questions.
Key high-yield points
- Thunderclap headache - sudden onset, maximal intensity within 1-5 minutes, often occipital; 'worst headache of my life' / 'like a blow to the back of the head'
- Meningism - neck stiffness, photophobia, phonophobia (blood irritates meninges; may take hours to develop)
- Nausea and vomiting - raised ICP
- Transient loss of consciousness - sudden ICP surge at rupture
- Third nerve palsy - ptosis, dilated pupil, 'down and out' eye; from posterior communicating artery aneurysm
A thunderclap headache in a migraine sufferer who says 'this is different' is SAH until proven otherwise. ADPKD is the classic genetic risk factor - berry aneurysm in ~1 in 10 patients.
Unlock the full Subarachnoid haemorrhage revision
Get the complete high-yield notes (3 more sections covering investigations, management and complications), 10 practice questions, mock exams and AI tutoring. Start free.