heart and blood vessel disorders
Shock
Treatment of Shock
Calling for help and stopping any bleeding Intravenous (IV) fluids and/or blood transfusions Sometimes drugs to help increase blood pressure Other measures depending on cause Most important is to call for help and stop any major bleeding. After doing that, the person can be laid down and kept warm, with the legs elevated. When emergency medical personnel arrive, they may provide oxygen through a face mask or insert a breathing tube. Fluids may be given by vein (intravenously) at a fast rate and in large volumes to raise blood pressure. On arrival at an emergency department, the person may be given a Overview of Blood Transfusion if shock is caused by bleeding. Usually, blood is cross-matched before transfusion, but in an emergency when there is no time for crossmatching, type O negative blood can be given to anyone. If shock is caused by severe infection, doctors give intravenous fluids and antibiotics. If shock is caused by a heart attack or other heart problem, other procedures or surgery may be needed. For some types of shock, drugs may be given intravenously to increase blood pressure. However, doctors use such drugs for as brief a time as possible because they can reduce blood flow to other tissues in the body or cause heart rhythm problems. Drugs can increase blood pressure by Constricting blood vessels, which happens, for example, when doctors giveepinephrine(used for people with anaphylaxis) ornorepinephrine(sometimes used for people with other forms of shock) Increasing the ability of heart to pump blood, which happens, for example, when doctors givedobutamineormilrinone Fluids given intravenously, blood transfusions, and drugs may not be enough to counteract shock if bleeding or fluid loss continues or if shock is caused by a heart attack, infection, or another problem unrelated to blood volume. Treating the cause of shock is vital. When shock is caused by an inadequate pumping action of the heart, efforts are made to improve the heart’s performance. In addition to fluids and drugs, other treatments include Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PTCA) or When shock is caused by an infection (such as Sepsis and Septic Shock ), treatment of the infection includes antibiotics and removal of the source of infection. When shock is caused by bleeding, surgery may be necessary to stop the bleeding. If shock is caused by an endocrine disorder (such as 