Autonomic Hyperreflexia
Alternate Names : Autonomic Dysreflexia, Dysreflexia, Hyperreflexia
What are the treatments for the disease?
Autonomic hyperreflexia is a medical emergency. If the blood pressure
stays high or continues to go up, a stroke
can occur. The good news is that it is easy to treat.
The best treatment is to remove whatever is causing the autonomic
hyperreflexia. This means emptying the bladder or bowels and making sure the
person is not sitting on bunched-up clothing or a hard object. If the person is lying
down, sitting up can help lower the blood pressure. Once the cause is removed, the
symptoms improve quickly.
If the cause cannot be found or the problem persists, the person or their caregiver will need to
contact emergency medical services
right away. Medicines can be used to bring the blood pressure down to normal.
What are the side effects of the treatments?
Side effects vary depending on the medicines used to lower the blood
pressure but may include allergic reactions.
What happens after treatment for the disease?
Autonomic hyperreflexia goes away quickly once the cause is removed.
Remember that the problem can return, so care must always be
taken to prevent another episode.
How is the disease monitored?
Usually, the person will notice symptoms as they occur. So they can make sure
the problem is quickly taken care of. It's a good idea to notify the doctor
when an episode occurs unexpectedly. Any new or worsening symptoms should be
reported to the doctor as well.
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