Severe Pre-eclampsia: A Case of Headache and Hypertension in Pregnancy
A branching clinical case simulation for a patient presenting with headache and visual disturbance at 34 weeks gestation. Take a history, examine, investigate, diagnose and treat while the patient responds to every decision, then see the score by clinical domain with the reasoning for each mark.
Year 5hard20 min6 stages
- Patient
- 29 years, female
- Presenting complaint
- Headache and visual disturbance at 34 weeks gestation
- Decision stages
- History, Examination, Investigations, Diagnosis, Treatment, Monitoring
The presentation
A 29-year-old primigravida at 34 weeks presents to the emergency department with a frontal headache and flashing lights. She is accompanied by her partner. The triage nurse records a blood pressure of 168/112, and a urine dipstick shows 3+ proteinuria. She looks anxious and is clutching her head. You are the doctor in the acute medical unit. Her observations are: HR 96, BP 168/112, RR 20, SpO2 98%, Temp 36.8. The maternity department is available for consultation.
What this case teaches
Recognise severe pre-eclampsia; control blood pressure with labetalol or nifedipine; give magnesium sulfate for seizure prophylaxis; monitor for HELLP; plan delivery.
How the case unfolds
- 1Focused HistoryHistory
- 2Targeted ExaminationExamination
- 3Initial InvestigationsInvestigations
- 4Diagnosis and PlanDiagnosis
- 5Immediate ManagementTreatment
- 6Monitoring and Definitive ManagementMonitoring
The decisions available at each stage, and what each one costs or earns, appear when you run the case.
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A free account opens the simulator: the patient's observations move with your decisions, and every choice is scored and explained.
Taught in
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Educational content for students and clinicians in training. It does not replace professional judgement, local protocols or current prescribing information.