General Approach to Patients with Autonomic Disorders: “What Is the Autonomic Disease?” – A Basic Tutorial to Autonomic Physiology and Pathophysiology

Abstract

Disorders of the autonomic nervous system (ANS) are often a severe burden to the quality of life of our patients (e.g., orthostatic intolerance, sweating disorders, sexual dysfunction). In some cases, they may be harmful (syncope with falls, heat intolerance, urinary retention) or even life threatening (sudden cardiac death, sympathetic storm, heat shock). Diagnosis of ANS disorders is still underrepresented, despite their common occurrence in clinical practice. This may be attributed at least in part to a lack of awareness and attention to symptoms of ANS dysfunction. Information on the ANS is rare in many neurological textbooks and often missing during education. This booklet shall help to recognize the presence and distribution of autonomic dysfunctions and provide tips for further management. The clinical investigations of autonomic functions presented here refer to the office, bedside, or prelaboratory evaluation. It cannot and shall not replace any textbook in this growing, neurological field.

H. Lahrmann, W. Struhal together with all co-authors.