a. History: Vomiting precedes headache
| Pivotal Assessment | Findings | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| History | Anticoagulant Medication Use |
|
Sudden Severe Headache | Toxic appearance (fever, meningismus) |
| Subacute worsening over days or weeks |
| Pain induced by bending, lifting, coughing |
| Pain that disturbs sleep or presents immediately upon awakening |
| Known systemic illness |
| Onset after age 55 |
| Fever or unexplained systemic signs |
| Abnormal neurologic examination |
| Pain associated with local tenderness, e.g., region of temporal artery |