Which statement about autonomic dysreflexia triggers is true?

Which statement about autonomic dysreflexia triggers is true?

• A. It can be triggered by bladder distention
• B. It cannot be triggered by bladder distention
• C. It only occurs with brain injuries
• D. It resolves without intervention

Answer: (B)

Autonomic dysreflexia is triggered by a noxious stimulus below the level of spinal cord injury in people with injuries at or above the T6 level. A full bladder is a classic trigger because bladder distention sends signals that cannot be fully modulated by the disrupted pathways, leading to a sudden, widespread sympathetic response below the level of injury and a dangerous rise in blood pressure. Understanding the mechanism helps explain why this statement is true: bladder distention can provoke autonomic dysreflexia, so denying that it can be triggered is incorrect. It’s also important to know that this condition is not limited to brain injuries; it occurs with high thoracic or cervical spinal cord injuries. And it requires prompt intervention rather than waiting for spontaneous resolution—the usual steps are to relieve the stimulus (check for bladder outlet obstruction or empty the bladder, ensure catheter function), position the patient upright to lower blood pressure, loosen restrictive clothing, and monitor blood pressure closely, with pharmacologic treatment if severe or persistent. So, the true point is that bladder distention is a recognized trigger for autonomic dysreflexia, not something that cannot trigger it, and it demands immediate management rather than expecting it to resolve on its own.

Autonomic dysreflexia is triggered by a noxious stimulus below the level of spinal cord injury in people with injuries at or above the T6 level. A full bladder is a classic trigger because bladder distention sends signals that cannot be fully modulated by the disrupted pathways, leading to a sudden, widespread sympathetic response below the level of injury and a dangerous rise in blood pressure.

Understanding the mechanism helps explain why this statement is true: bladder distention can provoke autonomic dysreflexia, so denying that it can be triggered is incorrect. It’s also important to know that this condition is not limited to brain injuries; it occurs with high thoracic or cervical spinal cord injuries. And it requires prompt intervention rather than waiting for spontaneous resolution—the usual steps are to relieve the stimulus (check for bladder outlet obstruction or empty the bladder, ensure catheter function), position the patient upright to lower blood pressure, loosen restrictive clothing, and monitor blood pressure closely, with pharmacologic treatment if severe or persistent.

So, the true point is that bladder distention is a recognized trigger for autonomic dysreflexia, not something that cannot trigger it, and it demands immediate management rather than expecting it to resolve on its own.