Which is a common cause of neurogenic shock?

Which is a common cause of neurogenic shock?

• A. Acute spinal cord injury
• B. Myocardial infarction
• C. Anaphylaxis
• D. Stroke

Answer: (A)

Neurogenic shock occurs when the sympathetic nervous system input to the heart and blood vessels is lost, most often after an acute spinal cord injury at or above the T6 level. Without sympathetic tone, there is unopposed parasympathetic (vagal) activity, leading to vasodilation and bradycardia. The result is profound hypotension with a relatively normal or warm, dry skin because blood vessels are dilated rather than constricted. This pattern is distinct from other shocks that involve pump failure or widespread vasodilation from mediators. An acute spinal cord injury is the common cause because it directly interrupts the autonomic pathways that normally maintain vascular tone and heart rate. In contrast, myocardial infarction causes cardiogenic shock from impaired pumping, anaphylaxis causes distributive shock from widespread vasodilation and vascular permeability, and stroke does not typically produce the loss of sympathetic outflow that drives neurogenic shock.

Neurogenic shock occurs when the sympathetic nervous system input to the heart and blood vessels is lost, most often after an acute spinal cord injury at or above the T6 level. Without sympathetic tone, there is unopposed parasympathetic (vagal) activity, leading to vasodilation and bradycardia. The result is profound hypotension with a relatively normal or warm, dry skin because blood vessels are dilated rather than constricted. This pattern is distinct from other shocks that involve pump failure or widespread vasodilation from mediators.

An acute spinal cord injury is the common cause because it directly interrupts the autonomic pathways that normally maintain vascular tone and heart rate. In contrast, myocardial infarction causes cardiogenic shock from impaired pumping, anaphylaxis causes distributive shock from widespread vasodilation and vascular permeability, and stroke does not typically produce the loss of sympathetic outflow that drives neurogenic shock.