Baroreflex failure can occur as a result of damage to one or more of the following:
(1) baroreceptors
(2) glossopharyngeal nerve
(3) brainstem
(4) afferent nerves
Causes of baroreflex failure may include:
(1) neck surgery including carotid endarterectomy and surgery on the carotid body
(2) neck trauma
(3) brainstem stroke or injury
(4) paraganglioma or other carotid body tumor
(5) tumor spread in the neck
(6) irradiation to the neck
(7) neck abscess or infection
(8) Leigh's syndrome (with involvement of the nucleus tractus solitarii)
(9) neuropathy affecting the afferent sensory nerves
(10) Groll-Hirschowitz syndrome
(11) hereditary hypertension-bradydactyly syndrome
