Gourt > Health > Conditions and Diseases > Neurological Disorders > Autonomic Nervous System > Autonomic Dysreflexia
Autonomic dysreflexia,"AD" or "autonomic hyperreflexia" is a massive sympathetic discharge that can occur in association with spinal cord injury or disease (e.g. multiple sclerosis). It is triggered by a variety of noxious stimuli, including bladder distension, irritation to the lower urinary tract, skin ulcers, bowel impaction and uterine contractions. Sometimes, the triggering factor is obscure.
The risk is greatest with cervical spinal cord lesions and is rare with lesions below T6. The onset may occur weeks to years after spinal cord injury takes place. The diagnosis is not subtle. This condition is distinct and usually episodic, with the patient experiencing remarkably high blood pressure (often with systolic readings over 200 mmHg), intense headaches, sweating, facial erythema, goosebumps, and a "feeling of doom". Elderly patients with incomplete spinal cord injuries and systolic hypertension without symptoms are experiencing essential hypertension, not autonomic dysreflexia. Agressive treatment of these elderly patients with rapidly acting antihypertensive medications can have disaterous results. Autonomic dysreflexia differs from autonomic instability, a term used to describe the variety of modest cardiac and neurological changes that accompany a spinal cord injury, including bradycardia, orthostatic hypotension, and ambient temperature intolerance.
Proper treatment of autonomic dysreflexia involves determination and removal of the triggering stimuli. Often, sitting the patient up and dangling legs over the bedside can reduce blood pressures below dangerous levels and provide partial symptom relief. Tight clothing and stockings should be removed. Catheterization of the bladder, or relief of a blocked urinary catheter tube may resolve the problem. The rectum should be cleared of stool impaction, using anesthetic lubricating jelly. If the a noxious precipitating trigger cannot be identified, drug treatment is sometimes needed.
More on [ Autonomic dysreflexia ]
Spinal Cord: Spinal cord injury - Autonomic Dysreflexia http://bit.ly/8cM65s
harpeyton (Falicia Tabetha) Sat, 19 Dec 2009 14:50:11 -0000
Spinal Cord: Spinal cord injury - Autonomic Dysreflexia http://bit.ly/8cM65s
AD Fact Sheet - An article explaining what autonomic dysreflexia is and how it occurs.
Spinal Cord Injury Information - Details about autonomic dysreflexia, the symptoms and why they happen and finding and removing the causes.
Meta Description: [ Jerry Haney, a C4-C5 quadriplegic, offering spinal cord injury information, resources, research and help, coping with traumatic injury. Audio and video teleconferencing available. ]
| Play Him Off, Keyboard Cat | |
| Next Video | |
