What characterizes neurogenic shock?

Neurogenic shock is primarily characterized by relaxation of blood vessels, which leads to a decrease in systemic vascular resistance. This condition typically occurs following a spinal cord injury or damage to the central nervous system, disrupting the normal sympathetic nervous system response. As a result, blood vessels dilate excessively, leading to hypotension or low blood pressure. The lack of vascular tone contributes to impaired circulation, resulting in inadequate blood flow to organs and tissues.

In contrast, the other options involve physiological responses that are not associated with neurogenic shock. An increased heart rate is often seen in compensatory mechanisms during shock types like hypovolemic shock, but it is not a characteristic of neurogenic shock, which may actually lead to bradycardia due to loss of sympathetic tone. Fluid overload is not specifically a feature of neurogenic shock; rather, it can occur in different contexts, such as heart failure. Additionally, high blood pressure is contradictory to what occurs in neurogenic shock, as the condition typically presents with low blood pressure resulting from vasodilation.