Course
Course 2 - Primary Care and Spinal Cord Injury: What Should Family Doctors Know About Blood Pressure?
Self-paced
Full course description
Are there special issues that primary care doctors should know about people with spinal cord injury (SCI) and their blood pressure (BP)? In a word, yes!! It is common for people with SCI to have different BP rates than the general population. BP spikes, drops, temperature regulation, and sexual function as may be impaired as a result of their SCI; those with injuries at T6 or above are even more at risk for complications.
- After completing the course, you will be able to:
- Interpret ‘normal’ blood pressure levels for people with SCI
- Identify patients who may be at greater risk for blood pressure spikes (Autonomic Dysreflexia, or AD) and drops (Orthostatic Hypotension, or OH)
- Recognize symptoms of acute AD or OH
- Apply first-line treatments to resolve acute episodes of AD or OH as well as management options to prevent future episodes