Which assessment finding would most likely indicate increased intracranial pressure in a patient?

A severe headache is a key indicator of increased intracranial pressure (ICP) due to its ability to cause significant discomfort and be a symptom of underlying neurological issues. Increased ICP can result from various conditions such as head trauma, brain tumors, or cerebral edema, and it often manifests through severe, persistent headaches that can be different in character from typical tension or migraine headaches.

In the context of increased ICP, these headaches occur because the pressure in the skull compresses the brain and irritates pain-sensitive structures, leading to significant pain signals. Patients may also report headaches that worsen with coughing, sneezing, or bending over, which further reinforces the association of severe headache with elevated ICP.

Other symptoms may accompany severe headaches, such as changes in consciousness, vision abnormalities, or nausea, reflecting a more serious neurological state. Therefore, identifying a severe headache as a symptom is critical for early intervention and management in patients suspected of having increased intracranial pressure.