Statements from patients are used as assessment tools. Which of the following statements about stroke symptoms should cause the clinician to use a higher index of suspicion?

"This is the worst headache I have ever had." This statement should not be ignored or considered to the dramatic, it should cause the clinician to modify their assessment to include a hemorrhagic stroke in their differential.  All of the other statements do classify the intensity of their headache and may not rule out a stroke, however, the statement of the worst headache should alert you to the possibility of more acute findings.