Perioperative and intensive care unit care of patients with aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) is a complex pathophysiological event that results in a number of intracranial and systemic alterations. The effective management of SAH has its foundation in the prevention, early diagnosis, and correction of complications. Successful outcome in these compromised patients requires close monitoring and intensive care. This article will review the pathophysiology of SAH, identify the most common medical and neurological events that complicate SAH, examine the impact of secondary cerebral insults after aneurysm rupture, and outline current ICU care for SAH.