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Ottawa SAH Rule
Inclusion Criteria
Age 15 years or older
New severe non-traumatic headache
Reaches maximum intensity within 1 hour
Exclusion Criteria
New neurological deficit
History of aneurysm
Known brain tumor
History of recurrent headaches
Clinical Features
Age ≥ 40 years
Neck pain or stiffness
Witnessed loss of consciousness
Onset during exertion
Thunderclap headache
Limited neck flexion on examination
Conclusion:
Interpretation of Results
The Ottawa SAH Rule has a high sensitivity (100%) for identifying subarachnoid hemorrhage.
References
Perry JJ et al. JAMA. 2013 Sep 25;310(12):1248-55.
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