WHAT DOES SHOCK MEAN AND HOW DO YOU APPROACH IT!??

 What is shock?

In medical terms, shock is the body's response to a sudden drop in blood pressure. At first, the body responds to this life-threatening situation by narrowing blood vessels in the extremities (hands and feet). You can also say that Shock is a critical condition brought on by the sudden drop in blood flow through the body. Shock may result from trauma, heatstroke, blood loss or an allergic reaction. It also may result from severe infection, poisoning, severe burns or other causes. Shock keeps organs from getting enough blood or oxygen.

Types of shock;  Each type of shock presents unique challenges and requires specific treatment approaches. 

• Distributive shock, such as septic shock, involves widespread vasodilation leading to decreased blood pressure. Distributive shock or vasodilatory shock is a medical emergency where your body can’t get enough blood to your heart, brain and kidneys. This happens because your blood vessels are extremely dilated (flaccid or relaxed), which brings down your blood pressure and cuts down on how much blood can get to your organs. Often the small blood vessels (capillaries) are leaky in distributive shock, resulting in some fluid loss from the circulation. Most common causes includes car accidents, gunshot wounds, sports injuries, or improper administration of anesthesia to the spinal cord.
• Cardiogenic shock: this is caused by heart failure and results in inadequate blood flow. Cardiogenic shock arises from cardiac failure, leading to insufficient circulation. It is a critical state wherein the heart abruptly loses its ability to adequately pump blood to satisfy the body's demands. While a severe heart attack is the primary cause, not all heart attack patients develop cardiogenic shock, making it a relatively uncommon occurrence.
• Hypovolemic shock 

This results from a substantial depletion of blood volume, whereas obstructive shock arises when blood flow is obstructed physically. Hypovolemic shock is an emergency condition in which severe blood or other fluid loss makes the heart unable to pump enough blood to the body. This type of shock can cause many organs to stop working. Major blood or fluid loss causes hypovolemic shock. You may be bleeding a lot inside your body, where you can't see it, or outside your body, where you can see an obvious injury. You can also get hypovolemic shock from burns, pancreatitis, or from too much sweating, throwing up or diarrhea.

• Obstructive shock is a condition that prevents blood and oxygen from getting to your organs. You need immediate treatment of the problem that caused this emergency, such as a blood clot or collapsed lung. Survival rates for this rare type of shock are better than survival rates for more common types of shock.

 Athorough understanding of the differences between these categories of shock is crucial for effective management and treatment.

Some of the symptoms of shock to look out for;

• Shallow breathing. 
• Dizziness. 
• Chest pain.
• Confusion.  
• sweating.
• Fast pulse. 
• Fast breathing.  
• weak pulse. 
• Pale or ashen skin. 
• A gray or bluish tinge to lips or fingernails.
• Rapid pulse. 
• Nausea or vomiting. 
• Enlarged pupils.
• Weakness or fatigue.

How do you diagnose shock?

People in shock have very low blood pressure. Electrocardiogram (ECG or EKG). This quick, noninvasive test records the electrical activity of your heart using electrodes attached to your skin. If you have damaged heart muscle or fluid buildup around your heart, the heart won't send electrical signals normally.

FIRST AID FOR SHOCK

First aid for shock includes having the person lie on their back, raising their legs  (unless they have fractures or a snake bite) to help blood return to the heart, stopping any bleeding, covering them with a coat or blanket to ensure warmth, and performing cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), if needed. Lay the person down and elevate the legs and feet slightly, unless you think this may cause pain or further injury. Keep the person still. Begin CPR if the person shows no signs of life, such as not breathing, coughing or moving. Treat any wound or burn and immobilise fractures.  Loosen tight clothing and, if needed, cover the person with a blanket to prevent chilling.

CPR

CPR stands for cardiopulmonary resuscitation. It can help save a life during cardiac arrest, when the heart stops beating or beats too ineffectively to circulate blood to the brain and other vital organs.

Steps for CPR

• Call for help or call 911 or ask someone else to.
• Lay the person on their back and open their airway. 
• Check for breathing. If they are not breathing, start CPR. 
• Perform 30 chest compressions.
• Perform two rescue breaths.
• Repeat the process until you get help or the person gets better

CONCLUSION:

Understanding the differences between these types of shock is crucial for effective management and treatment. An accurate diagnosis requires a good understanding of underlying pathophysiology, clinical, biochemical, and hemodynamic manifestations of the different types of shock. Always be informed of what is happening around you and be grounded. GOODLUCK!!!