Annex D Prolonged Casualty Care (PCC) Practice Test

Cushing's Triad is a set of signs that point to rising intracranial pressure. The three components are high systolic blood pressure with a wide pulse pressure, bradycardia, and irregular respirations. Tachypnea is not part of the triad. The breathing pattern in this context is irregular, not simply rapid. So recognizing tachypnea as the non-triad item makes sense because the triad’s respiratory element is irregular respirations, alongside the hypertensive and bradycardic signs. This combination signals a dangerous ICP situation and requires urgent assessment and care.