Shock (circulatory)

"Acute shock" redirects here. For the psychological condition, see Acute stress reaction.
Circulatory shock, commonly known as shock, is a life-threatening medical condition of
lowblood perfusion to tissues resulting in cellular injury and inadequate tissue function. [1]
[2]
The typical signs of shock are low blood pressure, rapid heart rate, and signs of poor endorgan perfusion (i.e.: low urine output, confusion, or loss of consciousness).
The shock index (SI), defined as heart rate divided by systolic blood pressure, is an accurate
diagnostic measure that is more useful than hypotension and tachycardia in isolation.
[3]
Under normal conditions, a number between .5 and .8 is typically seen. Should that
number increase, so does suspicion of an underlying state of shock. Blood pressure alone
may not be a reliable sign for shock, as there are times when a person is in circulatory shock
but has a stable blood pressure.[4]
Circulatory shock is not related to the emotional state of shock. Circulatory shock is a lifethreatening medical emergency and one of the most common causes of death for critically ill
people. Shock can have a variety of effects, all with similar outcomes, but all relate to a
problem with the body's circulatory system. For example, shock may lead to hypoxemia (a
lack of oxygen in arterial blood) or cardiac and/or respiratory arrest.[5]
One of the key dangers of shock is that it progresses by a positive feedback mechanism.
Poor blood supply leads to cellular damage, which in turn triggers tissues around the body to
become inflamed and inhibit perfusion around the body. Because of this, immediate
treatment of shock is critical to the survival of the sufferer.[4]