When should an older adult patient be advised to seek immediate medical attention concerning new onset headache?

Advising an older adult patient to seek immediate medical attention for a new onset headache is particularly important when the headache is accompanied by vision changes. This can indicate underlying serious conditions such as a stroke, increased intracranial pressure, or a neurological issue that could have significant implications if not addressed promptly. Vision changes may signal that the brain is under distress or has sustained injury, making it critical for the patient to receive an evaluation as soon as possible to determine the cause and initiate appropriate treatment.

Nausea, while concerning, might not always correlate directly with the severity or urgency of the headache. Variability in headache intensity could also suggest less severe issues, such as tension-type headaches or migraines, which may not require immediate intervention. Lastly, a headache that lasts less than an hour is generally not considered alarming, as many headaches are transient and self-limiting. Therefore, the most critical symptom that warrants urgent evaluation in this scenario is the presence of vision changes.