Treatment depends on the cause. Offending medications or drugs must be discontinued. Any underlying illness which is causing the symptoms needs to be treated. If a substantial slowing of the heart rate is shown to produce symptoms, some drugs called "anticholinergics" (such as atropine) can be initially tried.
Very high blood pressure needs to be treated carefully, as it may behave quite unpredictably and fall abruptly. If symptoms do not improve with medications, a pacemaker may be required.
In patients with spinal cord injury, autonomic hyperreflexia may be caused by pain, fecal impaction, bladder distension, pressure sores, or suctioning. Careful attention to the patient's needs can prevent these problems.
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