management

Last reviewed 06/2021

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General management of meningitis involves:

  • relief of pain - meningitis is a very painful disease
  • sedation, plus or minus anticonvulsants
  • position the patient head up
  • hyperventilate in some cases
  • cool the patient
  • darken the room
  • adequate nutrition and fluid replacement, not fluid restriction
  • care of bedridden patient
  • dexamethasone - reduces mortality in S. pneumonia and also in Haemophilus influenzae - may reduce meningeal inflammation and cerebral inflammation in the acute phase, and decrease incidence of sensorineural deafness