Experimental Therapies for Brain Edema and Intracranial Hypertension

Acute brain injury is one of the major causes for long-term disability and mortality worldwide and is often characterized by brain edema formation and intracranial hypertension. High intracranial pressure (ICP) reduces cerebral perfusion pressure finally resulting in cerebral ischemia, cell death, and delayed/secondary brain damage. Multiple components, factors, and mediators of the pathophysiology of brain edema formation have been investigated experimentally. The aim of this chapter is to identify the currently most promising experimental therapies for brain edema formation and raised ICP and to evaluate their translational potential.