Treatment Of Different States Of Shock

Shock states occur when there is insufficient blood supply to the body’s tissues.  This means that the cells of these tissues do not receive the necessary supply of oxygen and nutrients.

What is there to know about states of shock?

Shock states are characterized by a general circulatory deficiency. This causes the tissues and organs of the body not to receive enough blood supply.

As a consequence, the cells of these organs and tissues begin to die. And this, of course, carries serious risks for the person concerned.

Types of shock

The types of shock are classified according to the causes that trigger them and are:

• Hypovolemic shock: due to a decrease in blood volume, usually caused by bleeding (internal or external).

• Cardiogenic shock: due to heart abnormalities, such as myocardial infarction, which cause the heart not to be able to pump enough blood to the body.

• Anaphylactic shock: due to an excessive allergic reaction that causes great vasodilation and circulatory failure.

• Septic shock: due to a generalized infection that causes vasodilation, a drop in blood pressure and, finally, a lack of irrigation to the tissues.

• Neurogenic shock: caused by a dysfunction in the autonomic nervous system that causes it not to regulate well the amount of blood that reaches the tissues.

Stages of shock

Once shock is triggered, the body goes through different stages:

• Compensatory shock: it is the first stage that occurs after entering shock states. In it, the body tries to counteract the alterations and restore the correct circulatory function.

• Progressive shock: occurs when the compensatory mechanisms put in place fail and the body is not able to restore its normal functioning. After this stage, the affected person begins to deteriorate rapidly.
• Irreversible shock: at this point, the damage to the body, due to the lack of oxygen, becomes irreversible. Cells in tissues and organs without sufficient blood supply begin to die, causing irreparable damage to vital organs and causing death.

Treatment

First phase

First of all, it should be noted that shock is a very serious condition that can pose serious risks to the affected person. Or even death if not dealt with quickly.

Therefore, in any situation in which it is suspected that a person may be in one of the states of shock, the first thing to do is call the medical services. This is the most urgent.

First aid

As for the first aid that can be practiced while the emergency services arrive, the first point to consider is whether there is a visible cause that is causing the shock. The most representative case is that of a trauma that is causing external bleeding.

In this situation, the first thing to do is control the bleeding, if possible. In the event that the affected person has nailed objects, it is not recommended to remove them, it is better to wait for a healthcare professional.

It is very important to evaluate and monitor the vital signs of the affected person. In the event of cardiorespiratory arrest, cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) maneuvers should be performed.

• If the person is not standing still, is conscious and responds to stimuli, the first thing to do is try to reassure him.
• If possible, the person should be placed stretched out and lying on his back, trying to keep the feet elevated with respect to the head.
• It is important to cover the patient to prevent him from losing body heat and loosen anything that can compress or tighten him.
• Finally, nothing to eat or drink should be given to the affected person and they should be prevented from getting up or walking alone.

Post treatment

Regarding subsequent treatment, it varies depending on the type of shock that has taken place.

• Thus, in hypovolemic shock, for example, blood transfusions are often carried out in order to increase the patient’s blood volume.

• In cardiogenic shock, vasoconstrictor substances are usually administered that narrow the blood vessels and allow better irrigation.

• In septic shock it will be necessary to treat the infection that is causing the shock with antibiotics.

• Finally, in the case of anaphylactic shock, antihistamine drugs, corticosteroids, or epinephrine are usually administered.

Now we know the different states of shock. It is important to know them to be able to attend urgently to those who need it at that moment.