What is hypovolemic shock?

Shock is a critical condition, in which organ perfusion sharply decreases, that is all, especially vital organs, are in a state of oxygen starvation.

Among the reasons for this condition, the following are considered to be the main ones: traumatic injury, burn, loss of blood, infectious damage, a sharp weakening of the function of the heart muscle, the ingestion of an allergen into the human body that was previously sensitized.

Types of shock

Depending on the reasons for the development of this state, several types can be distinguished:

1. hypovolemic shock;

2. traumatic or painful;

3. Burning;

4. Anaphylactic;

5. infectious-toxic;

6. cardiogenic;

7. Turnstile.

Hypovolemic shock

This type of critical condition develops most often. For this reason, it is worth mentioning its description in more detail. Hypovolemic shock develops as a result of an acute shortage of circulating blood. As a result, the venous influx to the heart decreases and a secondary decrease in cardiac output occurs.

The immediate causes of this type of emergency are blood loss (both external and internal); Loss of fluid in infectious diseases. Reduction of blood volume can also occur as a result of accumulation of fluid in the abdominal cavity with peritonitis, traumatic damage to soft tissues.

Hypovolemic shock in infectious diseases develops in connection with the dehydration syndrome, more often with intestinal infections, namely food poisoning, salmonellosis, cholera and so on. However, this does not always happen. If treatment of intestinal infection is started in a timely manner, then such a critical condition will not develop.

To better understand what a hypovolemic shock is, you need to consider the pathogenesis of its development. In its development, three phases can be distinguished:

1. lack of volume of circulating blood;

2. activation of the sympathetic-adrenal system;

3. Direct shock.

At the first stage the human body feels a deficiency of the volume of fluid in the bloodstream, which is manifested by a decrease in the venous influx to the heart, a decrease in central pressure. As a result of these processes, cardiac output decreases. During the first hour, the interstitial fluid rushes into the capillaries, which means that the volume of the intercellular sector decreases.

At the second stage, the stimulation of the baroreceptors is reflexive, which stimulates the sympathetic-adrenal system. As a result, secretion of catecholamines increases: norepinephrine increases tens of times, adrenaline - in hundreds.

This reduces the sympathetic tone of the veins, heart and arterioles, which leads to an increase in the ability of the myocardium to contract and increase heart rate. And then there is a centralization of blood circulation. In the third stage, which begins in the absence of treatment, prolonged hypovolemia results in a persistent decrease in perfusion.

Clinically, hypovolemic shock is manifested by a frequent small pulse; Low systolic blood pressure; Decreased central venous pressure; Cold, wet, pale-cyanotic, even marbled skin; Slowed blood flow in the nail bed; Oliguria.

If the slightest signs of hypovolemic shock develop, you should immediately contact a medical institution for help. Do not think that such a state can stop on its own. In order to save a person, it is best to call an ambulance team, which will begin to provide first aid at the transportation stage. In this state, even the slightest delay can cost a person's life.