Overview
The goal of this observational study is to evaluate intravenous lidocaine efficacy and safety in treating headache following non-traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage. Through this prospective analysis, the investigators hope to:
- show that intravenous lidocaine infusion causes a clinically significant reduction in pain scores in patients with moderate/severe headache pain following non-traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage;
- show that intravenous lidocaine infusion is safe in treating headache following non-traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage;
- and report vasospasm prevalence in the cohort.
Participants will receive lidocaine infusion as treatment for non-traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage headache and provide pain scores (on a numeric pain scale) every two hours the patients are awake for a maximum of seven days. Monitoring for vasospasm will occur as part of the patients regular medical care.
Eligibility
Inclusion Criteria:
- Patients > 18 years;
- Have a favorable neurological status defined as Hunt and Hess score ≤ 3 (as it accounts for patient awareness);
- Can communicate numeric pain scores;
- Are diagnosed with non-traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage
Exclusion Criteria:
- The patient is diagnosed with traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage;
- If the patient is < 18 years of age;
- If numeric pain scores could not be captured for > 3 days of hospitalization;
- If the patient had a prior aneurysm;
- Chronic pain not associated with non-traumatic subarachnoid hemorrhage diagnosis;
- A disability before the stroke (> 2 on modified Rankin Scale score);
- A Hunt and Hess score > 3;
- Contraindications to lidocaine (significant cardiac disease, arrhythmia, seizures, previous allergic reaction to lidocaine