Shock is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body is not getting enough blood flow. Lack of blood flow means the cells and organs do not get enough oxygen and nutrients to function properly. Many organs can be damaged as a result. Shock requires immediate treatment and can get worse very rapidly. As many 1 in 5 people in shock will die from it.
Learn ways to prevent heart disease, falls, injuries, dehydration, and other causes of shock. If you have a known allergy (for example, to insect bites or stings), carry an epinephrine pen. Your health care provider will teach you how and when to use it.
Shock is a critical condition brought on by the sudden drop in blood flow through the body. Shock may result from trauma, heatstroke, blood loss or an allergic reaction. It also may result from severe infection, poisoning, severe burns or other causes. When a person is in shock, their organs don't get enough blood or oxygen. If shock is not treated, it can lead to permanent organ damage or even death.
Shock is the state of insufficient blood flow to the tissues of the body as a result of problems with the circulatory system.[1][2] Initial symptoms of shock may include weakness, fast heart rate, fast breathing, sweating, anxiety, and increased thirst.[1] This may be followed by confusion, unconsciousness, or cardiac arrest, as complications worsen.[1]
Shock is divided into four main types based on the underlying cause: low volume, cardiogenic, obstructive, and distributive shock.[2] Low volume shock, also known as hypovolemic shock, may be from bleeding, diarrhea, or vomiting.[1] Cardiogenic shock may be due to a heart attack or cardiac contusion.[1] Obstructive shock may be due to cardiac tamponade or a tension pneumothorax.[1] Distributive shock may be due to sepsis, anaphylaxis, injury to the upper spinal cord, or certain overdoses.[1][4]
The diagnosis is generally based on a combination of symptoms, physical examination, and laboratory tests.[2] A decreased pulse pressure (systolic blood pressure minus diastolic blood pressure) or a fast heart rate raises concerns.[1] The heart rate divided by systolic blood pressure, known as the shock index (SI), of greater than 0.8 supports the diagnosis more than low blood pressure or a fast heart rate in isolation.[5][6]
Treatment of shock is based on the likely underlying cause.[2] An open airway and sufficient breathing should be established.[2] Any ongoing bleeding should be stopped, which may require surgery or embolization.[2] Intravenous fluid, such as Ringer's lactate or packed red blood cells, is often given.[2] Efforts to maintain a normal body temperature are also important.[2] Vasopressors may be useful in certain cases.[2] Shock is both common and has a high risk of death.[3] In the United States about 1.2 million people present to the emergency room each year with shock and their risk of death is between 20 and 50%.[3]
The presentation of shock is variable, with some people having only minimal symptoms such as confusion and weakness.[7] While the general signs for all types of shock are low blood pressure, decreased urine output, and confusion, these may not always be present.[7] While a fast heart rate is common, those on β-blockers, those who are athletic, and in 30% of cases of those with shock due to intra abdominal bleeding, heart rate may be normal or slow.[8] Specific subtypes of shock may have additional symptoms.
Hypovolemic shock is the most common type of shock and is caused by insufficient circulating volume.[7] The most common cause of hypovolemic shock is hemorrhage (internal or external); however, vomiting and diarrhea are more common causes in children.[10] Other causes include burns, as well as excess urine loss due to diabetic ketoacidosis and diabetes insipidus.[10]
Cardiogenic shock is caused by the failure of the heart to pump effectively.[7] This can be due to damage to the heart muscle, most often from a large myocardial infarction. Other causes of cardiogenic shock include dysrhythmias, cardiomyopathy/myocarditis, congestive heart failure (CHF), myocardial contusion, or valvular heart disease problems.[10]
Distributive shock is low blood pressure due to a dilation of blood vessels within the body.[7][17] This can be caused by systemic infection (septic shock), a severe allergic reaction (anaphylaxis), or spinal cord injury (neurogenic shock).
Shock is a common end point of many medical conditions.[10] Shock triggered by a serious allergic reaction is known as anaphylactic shock, shock triggered by severe dehydration or blood loss is known as hypovolemic shock, shock caused by sepsis is known as septic shock, etc. Shock itself is a life-threatening condition as a result of compromised body circulation.[22] It can be divided into four main types based on the underlying cause: hypovolemic, distributive, cardiogenic, and obstructive.[23] A few additional classifications are occasionally used, such as endocrinologic shock.[10]
There are four stages of shock. Shock is a complex and continuous condition, and there is no sudden transition from one stage to the next.[24] At a cellular level, shock is the process of oxygen demand becoming greater than oxygen supply.[7]
One of the key dangers of shock is that it progresses by a positive feedback loop. Poor blood supply leads to cellular damage, which results in an inflammatory response to increase blood flow to the affected area. Normally, this causes the blood supply level to match with tissue demand for nutrients. However, if there is enough increased demand in some areas, it can deprive other areas of sufficient supply, which then start demanding more. This then leads to an ever escalating cascade.
As such, shock is a runaway condition of homeostatic failure, where the usual corrective mechanisms relating to oxygenation of the body no longer function in a stable way. When it occurs, immediate treatment is critical in order to return an individual's metabolism into a stable, self-correcting trajectory. Otherwise the condition can become increasingly difficult to correct, surprisingly quickly, and then progress to a fatal outcome. In the particular case of anaphylactic shock, progression to death might take just a few minutes.[6]
The Progressive stage (stage 3) results if the underlying cause of the shock is not successfully treated. During this stage, compensatory mechanisms begin to fail. Due to the decreased perfusion of the cells in the body, sodium ions build up within the intracellular space while potassium ions leak out. Due to lack of oxygen, cellular respiration diminishes and anaerobic metabolism predominates. As anaerobic metabolism continues, the arteriolar smooth muscle and precapillary sphincters relax such that blood remains in the capillaries.[18] Due to this, the hydrostatic pressure will increase and, combined with histamine release, will lead to leakage of fluid and protein into the surrounding tissues. As this fluid is lost, the blood concentration and viscosity increase, causing sludging of the micro-circulation. The prolonged vasoconstriction will also cause the vital organs to be compromised due to reduced perfusion.[18] If the bowel becomes sufficiently ischemic, bacteria may enter the blood stream, resulting in the increased complication of endotoxic shock.[6][18]
At Refractory stage (stage 4), the vital organs have failed and the shock can no longer be reversed. Brain damage and cell death are occurring, and death will occur imminently. One of the primary reasons that shock is irreversible at this point is that much of the cellular ATP (the basic energy source for cells) has been degraded into adenosine in the absence of oxygen as an electron receptor in the mitochondrial matrix. Adenosine easily perfuses out of cellular membranes into extracellular fluid, furthering capillary vasodilation, and then is transformed into uric acid. Because cells can only produce adenosine at a rate of about 2% of the cell's total need per hour, even restoring oxygen is futile at this point because there is no adenosine to phosphorylate into ATP.[6]
The diagnosis of shock is commonly based on a combination of symptoms, physical examination, and laboratory tests. Many signs and symptoms are not sensitive or specific for shock, thus many clinical decision-making tools have been developed to identify shock at an early stage.[25] A high degree of suspicion is necessary for the proper diagnosis of shock.
The first change seen in shock is increased cardiac output followed by a decrease in mixed venous oxygen saturation (SmvO2) as measured in the pulmonary artery via a pulmonary artery catheter.[26] Central venous oxygen saturation (ScvO2) as measured via a central line correlates well with SmvO2 and are easier to acquire. If shock progresses anaerobic metabolism will begin to occur with an increased blood lactic acid as the result. While many laboratory tests are typically performed, there is no test that either conclusively makes or excludes the diagnosis. A chest X-ray or emergency department ultrasound may be useful to determine volume status.[7][8]
The best evidence exists for the treatment of septic shock in adults. However, the pathophysiology of shock in children appears to be similar so treatment methodologies have been extrapolated to children.[10] Management may include securing the airway via intubation if necessary to decrease the work of breathing and for guarding against respiratory arrest. Oxygen supplementation, intravenous fluids, passive leg raising (not Trendelenburg position) should be started and blood transfusions added if blood loss is severe.[7] In select cases, compression devices like non-pneumatic anti-shock garments (or the deprecated military anti-shock trousers) can be used to prevent further blood loss and concentrate fluid in the body's head and core.[27] It is important to keep the person warm to avoid hypothermia[28] as well as adequately manage pain and anxiety as these can increase oxygen consumption.[7] Negative impact by shock is reversible if it's recognized and treated early in time.[22]
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