Shock

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• QWhat are the symptoms of cardiogenic shock?

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  A Piedmont Heart Institute answered

  A lack of blood and oxygen reaching the brain, kidneys, skin, and other parts of the body causes the symptoms of cardiogenic shock.
  The symptoms of cardiogenic shock include:

  • Confusion or lack of alertness
  • Loss of consciousness
  • A sudden, rapid heartbeat
  • Sweating
  • Pale skin
  • Weak pulse
  • Rapid breathing
  • Decreased or no urine output
  • Cool hands and feet

  If you or someone with you is having these signs and symptoms, call 9–1–1 right away for emergency treatment. Prompt treatment can help prevent or limit lasting damage to the heart and other organs and can prevent sudden death.
  This answer from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute has been reviewed and/or edited by Dr. William D. Knopf.

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• QWhat factors contribute to shock?

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  A Dr. Kathleen Handal, MD , Emergency Medicine, answered

  The factors contributing to the degree of shock are:
  

  • Age (especially in the very young and very old)

  • Victim's general health

  • Excessive fatigue

  • Rough handling

  • Delaying medical attention
• QWhat are the effects of shock on the body?

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  A Dr. Kathleen Handal, MD , Emergency Medicine, answered

  Any serious injury or illness can result in shock, which is a life-threatening condition and causes various effects on the body. Shock can develop quickly or gradually. It is a failure of the heart and blood vessels to provide enough oxygen to every part of the body. Without oxygen, the various body systems - especially the heart, brain, and the kidneys - will begin to slow down and ultimately die.
• QHow can cardiogenic shock be prevented?

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  A Reston Hospital Center answered

  Since cardiogenic shock is usually the result of a heart attack, you should try to reduce your risk of having a heart attack in the first place. Monitor and control the amount of fat, sodium, and cholesterol in your diet, as these contribute to heart disease and increased blood pressure (hypertension). You should also lead a generally healthy lifestyle - do not smoke, exercise regularly, and make sure you keep a healthy weight. You should also know the symptoms of a heart attack and cardiogenic shock so that you can seek emergency help immediately if you experience any of them. There is a much lower risk of complications if you are treated early.

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• QWhat are the symptoms of shock in children?

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  A Univ. of Nev. School of Medicine, Family Medicine answered

  Shock occurs when a person’s blood pressure drops so low that the body’s tissues are unable to obtain enough blood and oxygen.  This causes the organs to function poorly resulting in the symptoms that are associated with shock.  Symptoms may vary depending on the cause as well as the severity of shock involved.  Children may initially present with decreased urination, cool extremities, increased heart rate, and fussiness which then progresses to poor feeding, rapid breathing, lethargy, mottled skin, and absence of urination as the shock worsens.  Children in any degree of shock require immediate medical attention.

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• QWhat is cardiogenic shock?

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  A Piedmont Heart Institute answered

  Cardiogenic (kar-dee-oh-JE-nik) shock is a state in which a weakened heart isn't able to pump enough blood to meet the body's needs. It is a medical emergency and is fatal if not treated right away. The most common cause of cardiogenic shock is damage to the heart muscle from a severe heart attack. Not everyone who has a heart attack develops cardiogenic shock. In fact, less than 10 percent of people who have a heart attack develop it. But when cardiogenic shock does occur, it's very dangerous. For people who die from a heart attack in a hospital, cardiogenic shock is the most common cause.

  The medical term "shock" refers to a state in which not enough blood and oxygen reach important organs in the body, such as the brain and kidneys. In a state of shock, a person's blood pressure is very low.

  When a person is in shock (from any cause), not enough blood or oxygen is reaching the body's organs. If shock lasts more than several minutes, the lack of oxygen to the organs starts to damage them. If shock isn't treated quickly, the organ damage can become permanent, and the person can die.

  Some of the signs and symptoms of shock include:

  • Confusion or lack of alertness
  • Loss of consciousness
  • A sudden, rapid heartbeat
  • Sweating
  • Pale skin
  • Weak pulse
  • Rapid breathing
  • Decreased or no urine output
  • Cool hands and feet

  If you suspect that you or someone with you is in shock, call 9–1–1 and get emergency treatment right away. Prompt treatment can help prevent or limit lasting damage to the brain and other organs and can prevent death.

  This answer from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute has been reviewed and/or edited by Dr. William D. Knopf.

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• QWhat causes cardiogenic shock?

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  A Piedmont Heart Institute answered

  Cardiogenic shock happens when the heart can't pump enough blood to the body. This mostly occurs when the left ventricle isn't working because the muscle isn't getting enough blood or oxygen due to an ongoing heart attack. The weakened heart muscle can't pump enough oxygen-rich blood to the rest of the body.

  In about 3 percent of the cases of cardiogenic shock, the right ventricle isn't working. This means the heart can't effectively pump blood to the lungs, where the blood picks up oxygen to bring back to the heart and the rest of the body.

  The underlying causes of cardiogenic shock are conditions that weaken the heart and make it unable to pump enough blood and oxygen to the body.

  These conditions include:

  • Heart attack: Coronary artery disease (CAD) usually causes heart attack. CAD is a condition in which a material called plaque (plak) narrows or blocks the coronary arteries.
  • Serious heart conditions that may cause a heart attack and lead to cardiogenic shock, such as:
  • • Ventricular septal rupture. This is when the wall between the two ventricles breaks down because cells in part of the wall have died due to a heart attack. If the ventricles aren't separated, they can't pump properly.
    • Papillary muscle infarction or rupture. This is when the muscles that help anchor the heart valves stop working or break because their blood supply is cut off due to a heart attack. When this happens, blood doesn't flow in the right way between the different chambers of the heart, and they can't pump properly.

  This answer from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute has been reviewed and/or edited by Dr. William D. Knopf.

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• QWho is at risk for cardiogenic shock?

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  A Piedmont Heart Institute answered

  The most common risk factor for cardiogenic shock is having a heart attack.

  If you've had a heart attack, the following factors can further increase your risk for cardiogenic shock:

  • Older age
  • Having a history of heart attacks or heart failure
  • Having coronary artery disease in all the major heart blood vessels

  This answer from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute has been reviewed and/or edited by Dr. William D. Knopf.

• QHow is cardiogenic shock diagnosed?

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  A Reston Hospital Center answered

  Usually, the general state of shock is diagnosed first, based on the following tests:

  • Blood pressure, since shock is categorized by a marked decrease in blood pressure.
  • Electrocardiogram (EKG), to check for abnormal heart rhythms and quickened heartbeat./li>

  Once shock has been diagnosed, physicians will look into the specific type of shock it is in order to treat it properly. Some examples of diagnostic tests for cardiogenic shock are:

  • Medical imaging, such as angiograms, echocardiograms, and chest X-rays. Each of these tests determines whether the heart is enlarged or damaged, two conditions that can cause cardiogenic shock.
  • Blood tests. Physicians can determine whether your internal organs are working properly and whether enough oxygen is present in your blood, based on various blood tests.

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• QHow is cardiogenic shock treated?

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  A Piedmont Heart Institute answered

  The goals of emergency treatment for cardiogenic shock are first to treat the shock and then to treat the underlying cause or causes of the shock. Sometimes both the shock and its cause are treated at the same time. For example, doctors may quickly open a blocked blood vessel that's causing damage to the heart. Often, opening the blood vessel can get the patient out of shock with little or no additional treatment.

  Emergency Life Support: Emergency life support treatment is required for any type of shock. This treatment helps get blood and oxygen flowing to the brain, kidneys, and other organs. Restoring blood flow to the organs is essential to keep the patient alive and to try to prevent long-term damage to the organs.

  Medicines: During and after emergency life support treatment, doctors try to find out what is causing the shock. If the reason for the shock is that the heart isn't pumping strongly enough, then the diagnosis is cardiogenic shock. Depending on what is causing the cardiogenic shock, treatment may include medicines to:

  • Increase the force with which the heart muscle contracts
  • Treat the heart attack that may have caused the shock

  Medical Devices and Procedures: In addition to medicines, there are medical devices that can help the heart pump and improve blood flow. The devices most commonly used to treat cardiogenic shock include:

  • Intra-aortic balloon pump
  • Circulatory-assist devices
  • Angioplasty and stents

  Surgery: Sometimes medicine and medical devices aren't enough to treat cardiogenic shock. Surgery can restore blood flow to the heart and the rest of the body and repair damage to the heart. Surgery can help keep a patient alive while recovering from shock and improve the chances for long-term survival.

  This answer from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute has been reviewed and/or edited by Dr. William D. Knopf.