Pure Autonomic Failure: A Case Report of Recurrent Orthostatic Hypotension

Abstract

Pure autonomic failure is a neurodegenerative disorder affecting the autonomic nervous system which clinically presents with orthostatic hypotension. It is a diagnosis of exclusion after detailed clinical examinations and relevant investigations. Here, we discuss a case of 68 years old male who had complaints of multiple episodes of loss of consciousness on standing from a sitting position for the last 3 years. The diagnosis was considered by clinical examinations revealing autonomic dysfunctions with normal appropriate investigations. The patient was treated successfully with midodrine, fludrocortisone, and other non-pharmacological interventions. We focused on doing various autonomic dysfunction tests in the evaluation of a patient with recurrent orthostatic hypotension. We suspect that pure autonomic failure might not have been considered in the differential diagnosis of recurrent orthostatic hypotension and suggest that it is to be kept as a differential in such a scenario. Midodrine has an effective role in syncope due to sympathetic vasoconstrictor failure.

Keywords

• midodrine; orthostatic hypotension; pure autonomic failure