An Unexpected Case of Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome

Hassan Baig; Mohammad H Ashraf; Mohammad Ahmad Ashraf; Mujahid A Khan; Mohamed Nauzan Mohamed Nazeer

doi:10.7759/cureus.10129

An Unexpected Case of Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy Syndrome

Cureus. 2020 Aug 30;12(8):e10129. doi: 10.7759/cureus.10129.

Authors

Hassan Baig^{1

2}, Mohammad H Ashraf³, Mohammad Ahmad Ashraf⁴, Mujahid A Khan³, Mohamed Nauzan Mohamed Nazeer⁵

Affiliations

¹ Department of General Surgery, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee, GBR.
² Department of General Surgery, University of Dundee, Dundee, GBR.
³ Department of Neurology, University of Glasgow, Glasgow, GBR.
⁴ Department of General Surgery, University Hospital Hairmyres, Glasgow, GBR.
⁵ Department of Neurology, The James Cook University Hospital, Middlesbrough, GBR.

Abstract

This study presents an 86-year-old gentleman who was admitted under the acute stroke team for a possible posterior cerebral infarct. Radiologic imaging revealed that the diagnosis was in fact posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES). Through a process of elimination by means of investigations, the most likely cause was found to be mild hypertension on a background of vascular dementia causing a possible exacerbation of PRES symptoms. A multidisciplinary approach was found to be beneficial, providing safe and effective care for this patient, allowing a brief recovery period and restoration of baseline function and thus minimising permanent sequelae.

Keywords: cerebrovascular accident (stroke); encephalopathy; posterior circulation stroke; posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (pres); vascular dementia; visual disturbance; visual field loss.

Publication types

Case Reports