Autonomic dysfunction: what it is and whether such a diagnosis exists

It happens like this: a person comes to the doctor with palpitations, headache, sweating, and hears — autonomic dysfunction. The name is familiar, but behind it there is rarely one specific disease. Let us figure out what this term means and why it has no place in the international classification.

Autonomic dysfunction: what it is and where the term came from

Autonomic dysfunction, or autonomic dysfunction syndrome, is not a disease in the usual sense but a collective description of a complex of symptoms associated with a malfunction of the autonomic nervous system. This system controls what we do not think about: blood pressure, pulse, breathing, body temperature, sweating, digestion. When such processes go wrong, complaints affect almost any organ.

The term was proposed by N. N. Savitsky, an academician of medical sciences of the USSR, in the late 1950s. The same range of complaints is described as autonomic dystonia, neurocirculatory dystonia, vegetoneurosis. A close diagnosis in the international classification is somatoform dysfunction of the autonomic nervous system (F45.3), from the group of neurotic, stress-related disorders.

Does autonomic dysfunction exist as a disease

There is no such term in the WHO International Classification of Diseases, and foreign doctors do not use it. Instead of "autonomic dysfunction" they designate the underlying cause: generalized anxiety disorder, panic disorder, somatoform disorder. For the neurological part of the picture there are codes G90.8 and G90.9 — other disorders and unspecified disorder of the autonomic nervous system.

The complaints are real — it is the name itself that is debatable, since it describes not the cause but a set of manifestations. A syndromic diagnosis is partly convenient: it saves time on the diagnostic search. De facto in CIS countries autonomic dysfunction is often diagnosed in childhood, without consultation with a psychiatrist, and inappropriate measures in such cases worsen the quality of life.

Which complaints are associated with autonomic dysfunction

The manifestations imitate the symptoms of various diseases — on the part of the heart and blood vessels, breathing, digestion, thermoregulation. The leading complaint by frequency is called headache. One symptom may be replaced by another.

• rapid heartbeat, interruptions and discomfort in the chest;
• blood pressure fluctuations, dizziness on standing up and blurred vision;
• sweating more or less than usual, changes in body temperature;
• fatigue, sleep disturbances, irritability and anxiety;
• nausea, changes in stool, frequent urges to the toilet.

Autonomic dysfunction and other names

In international practice the term "dysautonomia" is used — a general name for disorders in which the automatic processes of the body are disrupted. Synonyms are autonomic dysfunction, autonomic neuropathy. There are primary forms that arise on their own, and secondary ones — against the background of another disease: type 2 diabetes, Parkinson's disease, multiple sclerosis, alcoholism, past COVID-19, vitamin B12 deficiency.

Various forms of dysautonomia affect more than 70 million people worldwide. It can be congenital or appear at any age, the average age of onset is from 50 to 60 years, severity varies from mild to pronounced; some disorders are temporary, many worsen over time.

How diagnostics are carried out

The diagnosis of autonomic dysfunction is made based on the combination of complaints, and the doctor looks for the causes behind them; autonomic tests exist to assess the functioning of the autonomic nervous system. Autonomic disturbances may occur against the background of anemia, hormonal shifts, diseases of the heart and blood vessels, endocrine and neurological disorders, autoimmune diseases, vitamin B12 deficiency.

A separate part of the conversation is the mental state: autonomic disturbances are often secondary to anxiety, depressive and somatoform disorders.

When complaints require seeing a doctor

If palpitations, dizziness or weakness recur and interfere with work and sleep, consult a family doctor or general practitioner. They will help find the specific cause of the complaints; if an anxiety or depressive disorder is suspected, a consultation with a psychiatrist may be needed. The specialty is not the main thing here: what matters is the path to a specific explanation of the complaints, not the name on paper.

Autonomic dysfunction by itself is not a reason to call an ambulance; 103 or 112 — if the person loses consciousness, if it is difficult for them to breathe or swallow, if the heart beats too fast, too slow or with interruptions.

The material is for reference: it helps to navigate the terms but does not replace consultation with a doctor who sees the person as a whole.

This content is for reference and does not replace a doctor's consultation. Medical disclaimer