Friday, August 8, 2008

Autonomic dysreflexia

1. What is the cause of AD?
2. What are the symptoms of AD?
3. What are the most common causes of AD?
4. How is AD treated?
5. What are potential complications of AD?

Answer:
1. A noxious stimulus below the level of the lesion (T6 or higher) causing massive unbalanced sympathetic discharge. There is also reflex bradycardia as a vagal response to the HTN.
2. Headache, flushing, piloerection, sweating, blurry vision, nasal congestion.
3. Full bladder, fecal impaction, pressure ulcers, ingrown toenails, UTI, bladder stones, gastric ulcers, labor, abdominal emergency, fractures, orgasm, epididymitis, cholecystitis.
4. Identify and remove noxious stimulus, sit patient up, remove TEDs/binder, NTG, procardia, hydralazine, clonidine.
5. Retinal hemorrhage, CVA, SAH, a-fib, seizure, death.

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