Diagnosis

Shock

A life-threatening condition of circulatory failure causing inadequate delivery of oxygen and leads to tissue hypoxia resulting in cellular death and dysfunction of vital organs.

Etiology

Cause [ri2]

  1. Precardial (decreased intravascular volume):

    • Hemorrhagic hypovolemic: GI-bleeding, peptic ulcer, diverticulosis, trauma, ruptured aortic aneurysm, anticoagulation

    • Non-hemorrhagic hypovolemic: dehydration, GI losses, renal losses, skin losses (burns, SJS, TEN), 3rd space loss (pancreatitis, cirrhosis, GI obstruction)

  2. Cardial:

    • Primary cardiac: Cardiomyopathy, myocardial infarction, arrhythmia, valvular defects, cardiac contusion

    • Obstructive: Cardiac tamponade, pulmonary embolism, tension pneumothorax, pericardial tamponade, restrictive cardiomyopathy, constrictive pericarditis

  3. Postcardial (periferal vasodilatation):

    • SIRS, sepsis, anaphylaxis

    • Endocrine (addison/myxedema)

    • Neurogenic shock

Pathophysiology [ri2]

  1. Precardial/cardial shock: Decrease in blood flow --> decreased oxygen transport

  2. Postcardial shock: Decreased vascular resistance --> abnormal oxygen extraction

  3. Imbalance between supply and demand of oxygen --> Hypoxia

  4. Hypoxia --> acidosis and a decrease in regional blood flow

  5. Pre-shock compensation:

    • Tachycardia

    • Tachypnea

    • Peripheral vasoconstriction

  6. Shock:

    • Hypotension

    • Oliguria

    • Lactacidosis

    • Abnormal mental status

    • Cold, clammy extremities

    • Pale, mottled skin

  7. End-organ dysfunction:

    • Irreversible organ dysfunction or injury (necrosis)

    • Multiorgan failure

    • Death

Epidemiology

Incidence per 100.000 [qes][voa][yys][zvo]

Epidemiology chart for Incidence

Symptoms & findings

Symptoms

Anuria, Arrhythmia, Atonia, Burns, Cold skin, Confusion, Cyanosis, Decreased consciousness, Diaphoresis, Dyspnea, Fever, Hematemesis, Hypotension, Ileus, Melena, Oliguria, Pallor, Paralysis, Prolonged capillary refill, Rectal sphincter atonia, Stridor, Tachycardia, Tachypnea

Clinical findings

Acidosis, Anemia, Decreased Ejection Fraction, Elevated CRP, Elevated Ejection Fraction, Elevated Lactate, Hemopericardium, Hemoperitoneum, Hemothorax, Leukocytosis, Myocardial hyperkinesia, Myocardial hypokinesia, Pulsus paradoxus

Anamneses

None listed.

Localized findings

Rash
Radiates
CaputCollumThoraxAbdomenGenitalArmBackLower body
Distribution
GeneralizedLocalizedMultipleSymmetric
Lesion type
AngioedemaUrticaria
Color
Red
Associated symptom
Swelling
Palpation
BlanchingWarmth

Approach

Treatment

Three goals of hypovolemic shock treatment: [tji][ri2]

  1. Maximize oxygen delivery:

    • Airways: Oxygen supply, mechanical ventilation

    • Breathing: Oxygen saturation, chest tube

    • Circulation: IV fluid/blood transfusion, intraosseous infusion, vasopressor

  2. Septic shock:

    • IV isotonic crystalloids 30 mL/kg within 3 hrs

    • Empiric antibiotic therapy

    • Vasopressor: Norepinephrine

  3. Anaphylactic shock:

    • IV fluid resuscitation with 4 to 6 L of IV crystalloids

    • Stop the offending agent

    • Intramuscular epinephrine

    • Antihistamines

    • Corticosteroids

    • Nebulized albuterol

  4. Adrenal crisis: IV fluid resuscitation + IV dexamethasone

  5. Hypovolemic shock:

    • Two large-bore IVs or central line --> 2 to 4 L of isotonic crystalloids

    • Trendelenburg position

    • RBC transfusion if ongoing bleed

    • Vsopressors if needed

    • Underlying condition:

      • Trauma: Surgery, coil embolization

      • Gynecological: Ectopic pregnancy, placenta previa, abruptio placenta, ruptured cyst, miscarriage

      • GI bleeding: Vasopressin IV, H2 blockers, somatostatin/octreotide IV, Sengstaken-Blakemore

  6. Obstructive cardial shock:

    • IV crystalloids

    • Vasopressor: Norepinephrine (+ vasopressin if refractory)

    • Underlying condition:

      • Massive pulmonary embolism --> Thrombolysis/Embolectomy

      • Chest tube

      • Pericardioscentesis or pericardiotomy

  7. Cardiogenic shock:

    • Cardiac arrest/arrhythmia --> Advanced cardiac life support

    • IV fluids in the absence of pulmonary edema

    • Inotropes: Dobutamine

    • Vasopressor: Norepinephrine

    • Intra-aortic balloon pump

    • STEMI --> thrombolysis, coronary revascularization procedures, IABP, ECMO

Differential diagnoses

Abruptio placentae, Acute pancreatitis, Anaphylaxis, Aortic dissection, Aortic regurgitation, Aortic stenosis, Arrhythmia, Arteriovenous malformation, Bladder perforation, Cardiac contusion, Cardiac tamponade, Colorectal cancer, Disseminated intravascular coagulation, Esophageal varices, Gastric cancer, Gastrointestinal obstruction, Hemolytic anemia, Hemorrhoids, Hypovolemia, Internal hemorrhage, Mallory-Weiss tear, Menorrhagia, Mitral regurgitation, Mitral stenosis, Myocardial infarction, Myocardial rupture, Neurogenic shock, Perforated ulcer, Pulmonary embolism, Renal artery aneurysm, Ruptured aortic aneurysm, Ruptured ectopic pregnancy, Sepsis, Splenic injury, Tension penumothorax, Toxic shock syndrome, Tricuspid stenosis


References

[1] Haseer Koya H, Paul M. Shock. Updated 2023 Jul 24: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK531492/

[2] Holler JG, Henriksen DP, Mikkelsen S, Rasmussen LM, Pedersen C, Lassen AT. Shock in the emergency department; a 12 year population based cohort study. Scand J Trauma Resusc Emerg Med. 2016 Jun 30;24:87.

[3] Li L, Sunderland N, Rathnayake K, Westbrook J. Epidemiology of sepsis in Australian public hospitals: a mixed methods, national longitudinal study (2013-2018). Sydney: Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, 2020. 69 p.

[4] Tian HC, Zhou JF, Weng L, Hu XY, Peng JM, Wang CY, Jiang W, Du XP, Xi XM, An YZ, Duan ML, Du B; for China Critical Care Clinical Trials Group (CCCCTG). Epidemiology of Sepsis-3 in a sub-district of Beijing: secondary analysis of a population-based database. Chin Med J (Engl). 2019 Sep 5;132(17):2039-2045.

[5] Zhou J, Tian H, Du X, Xi X, An Y, Duan M, Weng L, Du B; for China Critical Care Clinical Trials Group (CCCCTG). Population-Based Epidemiology of Sepsis in a Subdistrict of Beijing. Crit Care Med. 2017 Jul;45(7):1168-1176.

[6] http://emedicine.medscape.com/article/760145 (2014-01-02); [Medscape]

[7] Henriksen DP, Laursen CB, Jensen TG, Hallas J, Pedersen C, Lassen AT. Incidence rate of community-acquired sepsis among hospitalized acute medical patients-a population-based survey. Crit Care Med. 2015 Jan;43(1):13-21.

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