DISTRIBUTIVE SHOCK

Course overview

AS IS TRUE OF THE FOUR BROAD CLASSIFICATIONS OF SHOCK, DISTRIBUTIVE SHOCK, ALSO KNOWN AS VASODILATORY SHOCK, CAUSES INADEQUATE TISSUE PERFUSION. IN DISTRIBUTIVE SHOCK, SYSTEMIC VASODILATION LEADS TO DECREASED BLOOD FLOW TO THE BRAIN, HEART, AND KIDNEYS DAMAGING VITAL ORGANS. ADDITIONALLY, FLUID LEAKS FROM THE CAPILLARIES INTO THE SURROUNDING TISSUES, FURTHER COMPLICATING THE CLINICAL PICTURE. FURTHER COMPLICATING THE CLINICAL PICTURE. THERE ARE MULTIPLE ETIOLOGIES OF DISTRIBUTIVE SHOCK AND TREATMENTS FOR DISTRIBUTIVE SHOCK ARE MULTIMODAL. THIS ACTIVITY DESCRIBES THE PATHOPHYSIOLOGY, EVALUATION, AND MANAGEMENT OF DISTRIBUTIVE SHOCK AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE CARE OF AFFECTED PATIENTS.