CAROTID SINUS HYPERSENSITIVITY

Course overview

CAROTID SINUS HYPERSENSITIVITY IS AN EXAGGERATED RESPONSE TO PRESSURE APPLIED TO THE CAROTID SINUS LOCATED IN THE CAROTID BIFURCATION, RESULTING IN BRADYCARDIA, VASODILATION, AND HYPOTENSION. THIS RESPONSE IS MANIFESTED CLINICALLY AS SYNCOPE OR PRESYNCOPE AND CAN CAUSE FATAL CONSEQUENCES. LOSING CONSCIOUSNESS IN SOME SITUATIONS IS DANGEROUS (I.E., DRIVING). THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE ETIOLOGY, APPROACH TO DIAGNOSING CAROTID SINUS HYPERSENSITIVITY, COMPLICATIONS, MANAGEMENT, AND PATIENT EDUCATION. THE ACTIVITY ALSO HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN APPROACHING THIS CONDITION, ASSESSING THE RESPONSE TO TREATMENT VERSUS ITS ADVERSE EFFECT, AND THE EDUCATION TO PREVENT MAJOR COMPLICATIONS.