A man who sustained a cervical spinal cord injury 2 days ago suddenly develops severe hypertension and bradycardia.He reports severe head pain and blurred vision.The most likely explanation for these clinical manifestations is that he is:
A) Experiencing acute anxiety
B) Developing spinal shock
C) Developing autonomic hyperreflexia
D) Experiencing parasympathetic areflexia

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Autonomic hyperreflexia is the only option that is characterized by paroxysmal hypertension (up to 300 mm Hg systolic),a pounding headache,blurred vision,sweating above the level of the lesion with flushing of the skin,nasal congestion,nausea,piloerection caused by pilomotor spasm,and bradycardia (30 to 40 beats per minute).

A Man Who Sustained a Cervical Spinal Cord Injury 2