Fisiopatología del dolor agudo: alteraciones cardiovasculares, respiratorias y de otros sistemas y órganos

introduction: the acute pain is a complex constellation of sensory and emotional experiences related to the autonomous responses produced by damage to somatic or visceral structures. pain's route transmits the nociceptive information through the peripheral and central nervous system and it is completely integrated with the motor and sympathetic system at medullar level and of the upper nervous centers leading to a reflex motor activity, sympathetic hyperactivity and affective and behavioral responses. objective: to define the path physiologic mechanisms triggered in presence of acute pain and the alterations that consequently are generated in different organs and systems. development: the responses generated at segmental, suprasegmental and cortical level lead to pathophysiological alterations in the cardiovascular, respiratory system and in other organs and systems. these alterations could to modify negatively the course of lesion or disease provoked the pain as well as severe hemodynamic disorders leading to the death of patient. conclusions: although the acute pain plays a biologic and protective role when it is persistent or not mitigated, it provokes pathophysiological alterations in different organs and systems harmful for patient. despite the quick progress achieved on the knowledge of its pathophysiology and the development of novel and effective techniques for its treatment, the therapeutical behavior of patient presenting with acute pain is inappropriate.