Autonomic Dysreflexia

Autonomic dysreflexia is a condition in which the body reacts to a painful stimulus that the patient cannot feel. This causes the nervous system to respond and constrict blood vessels, which causes a dangerous spike in the person’s blood pressure. As a result, the body attempts to self-correct which results in a slowed heart rate coupled with a continual climb in blood pressure that can prove fatal if not treated. Typically found in individuals who have a spinal cord injury, autonomic dysreflexia can be triggered by the development of a bedsore in individuals who are wheelchair bound or bedridden. Because pressure sores often develop when these individuals do not have a proper care regimen to relieve continual pressure to various areas of the body, autonomic dysreflexia can become a recurring problem that requires hospitalization and emergency medical intervention due to the development of bedsores.

Symptoms

Symptoms of autonomic dysreflexia include very high blood pressure (especially when the systolic number exceeds 300), blurred vision, slowed heart rate, sweating, nasal congestion, nausea, and flushed skin. Typically, the first symptom that the patient often notices is the headache, followed by nasal congestion and blurred vision. Because the risk of bedsores increases in those who have sensory impairment, and because of the risks that autonomic dysreflexia poses, patients who develop this condition should not be left alone for any extended amount of time until it is brought under control.

Treatment

Treatment for autonomic dysreflexia generally begins with an attempt to alleviate the cause of the painful stimulus, while keeping the patient’s head elevated. If the cause of pain cannot be found, or if the symptoms persist after the cause has been found and alleviated, then medications may be prescribed to bring down the patient’s blood pressure to more normal levels.