Cushing's Triad (RICP Finding)

Cushing's Triad Background:

• Named after the American neurosurgeon Harvey Williams Cushing (1869-1939).

Components of Cushing's Triad:

• Bradycardia
• Respiratory pattern change (irregular respirations)
• Widening pulse pressure (rising systolic + declining diastolic)

Pathophysiology:

• Produced by the Cushing reflex.
• Sign of raised intracranial pressure (RICP).
• May lead to brain herniation, which can be rapidly fatal.

Clinical Details:

• Suggests severe pressure within the cranial vault.

Causative Factors:

• Intracerebral hemorrhage
• Head trauma
• Enlarging space-occupying lesion (i.e. brain tumor)

Tags: Bradycardia - Brain herniation - Brain Tumour - Cushing's Reflex - Cushing's Triad - Head Trauma - Intracerebral haemorrhage - RICP
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