Systemic arterial hypertension in head trauma.
The importance of maintaining adequate cerebral perfusion pressure to prevent cerebral ischemia is a well accepted concept in the management of patients with head injury. The potentially deleterious effects of too great a perfusion pressure, however, are generally less well appreciated. The occurrence of a hyperadrenergic state after head injury, and the effects of elevated blood pressure on the injured brain are reviewed, with emphasis placed on the pathophysiologic implications of a disturbance of the blood-brain barrier and of autoregulation in promoting brain swelling and formation of edema.
Simard
J M
JM
Department of Surgery, University of Texas Medical Branch, Galveston 77550.
Bellefleur
M
M
D000818:Animals; D001794:Blood Pressure; D001930:Brain Injuries / Q000150:complications* / Q000503:physiopathology; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000502:physiology; D006801:Humans; D006973:Hypertension / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000628:therapy*
D002395:Catecholamines