NUR 229 Lecture Notes - Lecture 1: Neurogenic Shock, Distributive Shock, Sympathetic Nervous System
Document Summary
This type of shock leads to the inability of the sympathetic nervous system to stimulate nerve impulses, which causes hemodynamic problems. This leads to a decrease in tissue perfusion where the cells that make up our organs and tissue don"t receive enough oxygen. Neurogenic shock is a type of distributive shock (anaphylactic and septic shock are the other types of distributive shock). This means that the vessels that deliver blood flow to the cells have an issue with distributing that blood flow. In neurogenic shock, it"s due to massive vasodilation because the sympathetic nervous system has lost the ability to stimulate nerves that control vessel vasomotor tone (this is the ability to regulate the diameter of the vessels discussed in detail below). What can cause neurogenic shock: spinal cord injuries that are located at the cervical or upper thoracic locations (above t6, drugs that affect the autonomic and sympathetic nervous system, spinal anesthesia.
