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Shock
Shock happens when your blood pressure is too low and not enough blood and oxygen can get to your organs and tissues. Causes of shock include internal or external bleeding, dehydration, burns, or severe vomiting and/or diarrhea. All of these involve the loss of large amounts of body fluids. Shock often accompanies injury.
Specific types of shock include
- Hypovolemic shock, caused by internal or external bleeding
- Septic shock, caused by infections in the bloodstream
- Anaphylactic shock, caused by a severe allergic reaction
- Cardiogenic shock, caused by the inability of the heart to pump blood effectively
- Neurogenic shock, caused by extreme emotional upset due to personal tragedy or disaster
Symptoms of shock include cold and sweaty skin, weak but rapid pulse, irregular breathing, dry mouth, dilated pupils and reduced urine flow. Shock is life-threatening and it is important to get help right away. Treatment of shock depends on the cause.
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Diagnosis/Symptoms
- Lactate Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
- Procalcitonin Test(American Association for Clinical Chemistry)
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Treatment
- How Is Cardiogenic Shock Treated?(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
- Shock: First Aid(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- What to Do in a Medical Emergency: Shock(American College of Emergency Physicians)
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Specific Conditions
- Anaphylaxis(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Cardiogenic Shock(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Cardiogenic Shock(National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute)
- Sepsis(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
- Sepsis and Septic Shock(Merck & Co., Inc.)
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Related Issues
- Anaphylaxis-Like Reactions(National Jewish Health)
- Toxic Shock Syndrome(Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research)
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Clinical Trials
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Shock(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Shock, Septic(National Institutes of Health)
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Shock
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Journal Articles
References and abstracts from MEDLINE/PubMed (National Library of Medicine)
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Organizations
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Children
- Anaphylaxis(American Academy of Pediatrics)
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Teenagers
- Toxic Shock Syndrome(Nemours Foundation)
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Patient Handouts
- Anaphylaxis
- Also available in Spanish
- Cardiogenic shock
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- Hypovolemic shock
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- Septic shock
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- Shock
- Also available in Spanish
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