A patient with an SCI at T6 develops hypertension with bradycardia, headache, and flushing above the level of injury. What should be the nurse's first response?
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Correct answer: Suspect autonomic dysreflexia, sit the patient upright, remove the noxious stimulus
Autonomic dysreflexia occurs in SCI at T6 or higher triggered by noxious stimuli below the injury, requiring immediate intervention to sit upright and remove trigger.
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