Which medication would you administer to decrease intracranial pressure?

Mannitol is the appropriate medication to administer for decreasing intracranial pressure. It is an osmotic diuretic that works by creating a hyperosmotic environment in the bloodstream, which draws water out of the brain and into the bloodstream. This process effectively reduces the volume of fluid in the intracranial space, thereby lowering intracranial pressure.

Mannitol is particularly useful in managing conditions that lead to elevated intracranial pressure, such as traumatic brain injury, brain tumors, or cerebral edema. By decreasing the pressure within the skull, mannitol helps prevent further complications associated with high intracranial pressure, including damage to brain tissue.

The other medications do not serve this specific purpose. Insulin primarily regulates glucose levels and would not impact intracranial pressure effectively. Lidocaine is mainly used as a local anesthetic and antiarrhythmic agent, with no relevance to intracranial pressure management. Prednisone, a corticosteroid, can help reduce inflammation but is not utilitarian as an immediate measure for decreasing intracranial pressure in an acute setting.