RESEARCH ARTICLE
Neurogenic Shock
Elizabeth H. Mack*
Division of Pediatric Critical
Care Medicine, Palmetto Health Children's Hospital, 9 Medical Park, Suite
530, Columbia, SC 29203, USA.
Article Information
Identifiers and Pagination:
Year: 2013Volume: 7
First Page: 16
Last Page: 18
Publisher Id: TOPEDJ-7-16
DOI: 10.2174/1874309901307010016
Article History:
Received Date: 17/12/2012Revision Received Date: 21/12/2012
Acceptance Date: 02/01/2012
Electronic publication date: 22/2/2013
Collection year: 2013
© 2013 Elizabeth H. Mack
open-access license: This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License (CC-BY 4.0), a copy of which is available at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
open-access license: This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Public License (CC-BY 4.0), a copy of which is available at: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/legalcode. This license permits unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original author and source are credited.
Abstract
Neurogenic shock is a type of distributive shock that describes the sudden loss of autonomic tone due to spinal cord injury often characterized by hypotension and relative bradycardia. Loss of sympathetic tone occurs with injuries above T6 and results in decreased systemic vascular resistance. Peripheral vasoconstrictors, chronotropes, and inotropes may be needed in cases of neurogenic shock. Autonomic instability may develop and often persists several weeks after the injury. Aggressive management is imperative in the initial phases of neurogenic shock to avoid further secondary ischemic injury to the cord.
Keywords: Spinal cord injury, shock, autonomic dysreflexia.
