What is Shock
Shock is a life-threatening medical condition whereby the body suffers from insufficient blood flow throughout the body. Shock often accompanies severe injury or illness. Medical shock is a medical emergency and can lead to other conditions such as lack of oxygen in the body's tissues (hypoxia), heart attack (cardiac arrest) or organ damage. It requires immediate treatment as symptoms can worsen rapidly.

Medical shock is different than emotional, or psychological, shock that can occur following a traumatic or frightening emotional event.

What are the types of shock?

Septic shock results from bacteria multiplying in the blood and releasing toxins. Common causes of this are pneumonia, intra-abdominal infections (such as a ruptured appendix) and meningitis.

Anaphylactic shock is a type of severe hypersensitivity or allergic reaction. Causes include allergy to insect stings, medicines or foods (nuts, berries, seafood) etc.

Cardiogenic shock happens when the heart is damaged and unable to supply sufficient blood to the body. This can be the end result of a heart attack or congestive heart failure.

Hypovolemic shock is caused by severe blood and fluid loss, such as from traumatic bodily injury, which makes the heart unable to pump enough blood to the body.

Neurogenic shock is caused by spinal cord injury, usually as a result of a traumatic accident or injury.

What are the causes of shock?

There are several main causes of shock:

• Heart conditions (heart attack, heart failure)
• Heavy internal or external bleeding, such as from a serious injury
• Dehydration
• Infection
• Severe allergic reaction
• Spinal injuries
• Burns
• Persistent vomiting or diarrhea

What is the treatment for shock?
Depending on the type or the cause of the shock, treatments will differ. In general, fluid resuscitation (giving a large amount of fluid to raise blood pressure quickly) with an IV in the ambulance or emergency room is the first-line treatment for all types of shock. The doctor will also administer medications such as epinephrine, norepinephrine or dopamine to the fluids to try to raise a patient's blood pressure to ensure blood flow to the vital organs.

Tests (for example, x-rays, blood tests, EKGs) will determine the underlying cause of the shock and uncover the severity of the patient's illness.

Septic shock is treated with prompt administration of antibiotics depending on the source and type of underlying infection. These patients are often dehydrated and require large amounts of fluids to increase and maintain blood pressure.