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Shock: Definition and Recognition

  • Chapter
Hemodynamic Monitoring

Part of the book series: Lessons from the ICU ((LEICU))

Abstract

Shock is a pathological condition characterized by an imbalance between oxygen demand and supply. Different mechanisms have been recognized, and the causes that lead to the final condition of shock are classified according to the cardiac output (CO). In low-CO states, the problem is in oxygen delivery to the cells, while in high-CO (distributive) shock, there is a low oxygen extraction rate despite the delivery being normal.

Whatever the cause, in shock states, the impairment in cellular metabolism leads to an “energetic failure” due to a decrease in ATP production with consequent multiple organ failure.

Septic shock is the most common type of shock in the ICUs, and its mechanisms are still not entirely clear, since the problem lies in the periphery, either as a primary mitochondrial dysfunction or consequent to a microcirculatory alteration with hypoxic cellular damage.

The main issue is the early recognition of a patient in shock, because an early treatment and correction of the underlying mechanism have been associated with a better prognosis.

Clinical history and physical examination are fundamental, as they often suggest the type of shock. The role of hypotension is complex, because hypotension is not always a sign of shock and, at the same time, not all the patients in shock are hypotensive.

Laboratory tests are also very useful, and among them, lactate value and its trend over time play a main role in the prognosis of a patient in shock.

Echocardiography, if performed by a trained operator, can guide in the differential diagnosis with the advantage of being a rapid, noninvasive, and bedside evaluation.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Anesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, Fondazione Policlinico Universitario A.Gemelli- Università Cattolica del Sacro Cuore – Roma, Rome, Italy

    Antonio M. Dell’Anna, Flavia Torrini & Massimo Antonelli

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  1. Antonio M. Dell’Anna
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  2. Flavia Torrini
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  3. Massimo Antonelli
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Correspondence to Massimo Antonelli .

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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Critical Care Medicine Dept., University of Pittsburgh, Pittsburgh, PA, USA

    Michael R. Pinsky

  2. Bicetre University Hospital, Paris South University, Le Kremlin-Bicêtre, France

    Jean-Louis Teboul

  3. Department of Intensive Care, Erasme University Hospital, Brussels, Belgium

    Jean-Louis Vincent

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© 2019 European Society of Intensive Care Medicine

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Dell’Anna, A.M., Torrini, F., Antonelli, M. (2019). Shock: Definition and Recognition. In: Pinsky, M.R., Teboul, JL., Vincent, JL. (eds) Hemodynamic Monitoring. Lessons from the ICU. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69269-2_2

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-69269-2_2

  • Publisher Name: Springer, Cham

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  • Online ISBN: 978-3-319-69269-2

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