Excerpts from the Chapter include

Four Types of Shock

There are four major types of shock, each of which can be caused by a number of different events.

1. Hypovolemic Shock: This type of shock happens when there isn’t enough blood in your blood vessels to carry oxygen to your organs. This can be caused by severe blood loss, for example, from injuries.
2. Distributive Shock: Conditions that cause your blood vessels to lose their tone can cause distributive shock. When your blood vessels lose their tone, they can become so open and floppy that not enough blood pressure supplies your organs. There are several types of distributive shock, including the following: Anaphylactic shock, Septic shock, and Neurogenic shock.
3. Cardiogenic shock: Damage to your heart can decrease the blood flow to your body, leading to cardiogenic shock.
4. Obstructive shock: This type of shock occurs when blood can’t get where it needs to go. A pulmonary embolism is one condition that may cause an interruption to blood flow. Conditions that can cause a buildup of air or fluid in the chest cavity can also lead to obstructive shock.

Recognizing Compensated Shock and Decompensated Shock

Compensated Shock occurs when a Patient is still interacting normally and has a normal BP. So how can you tell? Here are some of the more prevalent signs of compensated shock:

• Slight mental status changes.
• Increased heart rate.
• Increased respiratory rate.
• Delayed capillary refill time.
• Pale, cool, clammy skin, and.
• Sweating.

Decompensated shock is defined as “the late phase of shock.   Hence, occurring when the body’s compensatory mechanisms (such as increased heart rate, vasoconstriction, increased respiratory rate) are unable to maintain adequate perfusion to the brain and vital organs.” It occurs when the blood volume decreases by more than 30%.

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