Effect of Terazosin for the Treatment of Autonomic Dysreflexta in Patients with Spinal Cord Injury.
- Author:
Byung Joo PARK
1
;
Yong Soo LIM
;
Hong Bang SHIM
Author Information
1. Department of Urology, Korea Veterans Hospital, Seoul, Korea.
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Autonomic dysreflexia;
Spinal cord injury;
Terazosin
- MeSH:
Autonomic Dysreflexia;
Blood Pressure;
Emergencies;
Follow-Up Studies;
Headache;
Humans;
Rehabilitation;
Spinal Cord Injuries*;
Spinal Cord*;
Sweat;
Sweating
- From:Korean Journal of Urology
1999;40(12):1651-1655
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: Autonomic dysreflexia represents one of the most serious medical emergencies in the care and rehabilitation of patients with spinal cord injury. We evaluated the effect of terazosin for the prevention of symptoms due to autonomic dysreflexia in patients with spinal cord injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The effect of terazosin was evaluated in 20 spinal cord injury patients with autonomic dysreflexia. All patients received terazosin as the only medication for the autonomic dysreflexia. Baseline measurements of blood pressure, the autonomic dysreflexia severity score and autonomic dysreflexia frequency score were recorded before terazoxin medication. Follow-up measurements were taken at 1 week, 1 month and 3 month after medication. All the data were statistically evaluated and the following results were obtained. RESULTS: The majority of patients(95%) had manifested headache and sweating. The autonomic dysreflexia severity score after terazosin medication decreased from an average of 9.0+/-0.6 at baseline to 6.8+/-0.7, 5.2+/-0.7 and 4.9+/-0.6 at 1 week, 1 month and 3 months repectively(p=0.001). And the autonomic dysreflexia frequency score after terazosin medication decreased from an average of 2.4+/-0.5 to 1.2+/-0.4 at 3 months. CONCLUSION: Tetazosin appears to be effective in preventing symptoms due to autonomic dysreflexia.
