SHOCK RESUSCITATION

Course overview

AT ITS MOST BASIC DEFINITION, THE TERM “SHOCK” MEANS THAT THERE IS A LACK OF ADEQUATE TISSUE OXYGENATION THROUGHOUT THE BODY. TYPICALLY, THIS LACK OF OXYGENATION IS CAUSED BY EITHER A LACK IN CIRCULATING BLOOD VOLUME, A DECREASE IN CARDIAC FUNCTION, A DECREASE IN SYSTEMIC VASCULAR RESISTANCE, OR SOME OTHER MEANS BY WHICH THE BODY CANNOT COMPENSATE BLOOD FLOW TO VITAL ORGANS. TYPICALLY ASSOCIATED WITH THIS IS A SUDDEN DROP IN BLOOD PRESSURE BY WHICH THE BODY CANNOT ADEQUATELY PERFUSE VITAL ORGANS. WHEN TRYING TO RESUSCITATE A PATIENT IN SHOCK, IT IS IMPORTANT TO KEEP IN MIND THE ETIOLOGY OF THE PATIENT’S SHOCK, AS THIS WILL SOMETIMES DRASTICALLY ALTER THE PROCESS OF PROPER RESUSCITATION. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS RESUSCITATION OF SHOCK, THE TYPES OF FLUIDS USED, AND THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE MANAGEMENT OF THESE PATIENTS.