MadSci Network: Medicine |
John, Diaphoresis means profuse sweating. A person in shock due to lack of blood volume appears pale, cold and clammy with cold wet skin. This is due to the response of the sympathetic nervous system. Blood flow is directed away from non-vital organs such as the skin leading to palor and cold skin. Epinephrine released by the sympathetic nervous system causes some sweating, but usually not profuse sweating. My old physiology text says that sweat glands are innervated by sympathetic nerves only and have no parasympathetic input. Here are two references, both text books. I doubt that they are available online: Goodman & Gilman, "The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics", McGraw Hill 1996, p.105 Moschella and Hurley, "Dermatology", W.B.Saunders Company, 1985, p.1342 Bill
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