Autonomic Dysreflexia

• Autonomic dysreflexia (AD) is an abnormal response to painful stimuli below the level of spinal cord injury (SCI).
• It is usually a sequel to spinal cord injury at T6 or level above that.
• The incidence of AD for SCIs above T6 is between 50% and 70%.
• It can cause very high blood pressure; hence it is a Medical emergency.
• Cognitive and verbal communication impairment may make it difficult for SCI patients to relate symptoms, hence diagnosis is often delayed
• Other causes are spinal cord tumours or after spinal surgery above the level of T6.
• Neurological conditions like multiple sclerosis can present with AD symptoms
• AD may also coexist with other rarer causes of hypertension, for example catecholamine secreting tumours