This week we're going to focus on an abbreviation that comes up frequently in a specific population. This particular abbreviation can be triggered by a pressure ulcer.
Eventually I'd like to come back and focus more on this abbreviation as part of our disease process exploration because it is a potentially deadly abbreviation.
This week's abbreviation is
AD - Autonomic Dysreflexia
AD or Autonomic Dysreflexia is a condition that occurs only in patients with spinal cord injuries, when their autonomic nervous system responds to a stimulus inappropriately. It represents a medical emergency.
The reason I decided to pick this particular abbreviation this week, is the impetus for a stage II pressure ulcer, the focus of our Tuesday post, can cause an AD episode in spinal cord injury patients. Because of the decreased ability to shift their own position, and the deceased ability to feel the need to move, spinal cord injury patients are at higher risk for pressure ulcers.
Examples
Pt is at increased risk for AD due to difficulty of catheter insertion.
Pt.'s AD episode was triggered by wrinkled linen under him. Stimulus removed and AD episode resolved.
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