Autonomic Dysreflexia Signs/Symptoms and Treatment
What to Look For (Signs & Symptoms):
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Hypertension (higher than the individual’s baseline)
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Bradycardia or tachycardia
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Tachypnea
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Red or flushed face
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Sweating above the level of injury
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Severe headaches
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Goosebumps (piloerection)
What Can Cause It:
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Evoked by noxious and non-noxious stimuli, like:
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A full bladder or bowel
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Skin problems (tight clothing, pressure sores)
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Most common in people with spinal cord injuries at T6 or higher
Why It’s Serious:
If not treated quickly, it can lead to:
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Hypertensive urgency/emergency with –
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Seizures
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Stroke
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Fluid in the lungs
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Kidney problems
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Heart attack
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Death
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What to Do (Treatment Steps):
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Notify attending physician
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Identify causative factor:
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First, check the bladder and check the Foley function!
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Scan the bladder and prepare for a straight catheter
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Provide urgent treatment for persistent hypertension and are unable to find the cause –
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Treat with quick-onset and short-acting medication
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These pathways do not establish a standard of care to be followed in every case. It is recognized that each case is different, and those individuals involved in providing health care are expected to use their judgment in determining what is in the best interests of the patient based on the circumstances existing at the time. It is impossible to anticipate all possible situations that may exist and to prepare a pathway for each. Accordingly, these pathways should guide care with the understanding that departures from them may be required at times.