Patients in shock can appear cold, clammy, and cyanotic.Hypothermia increases the mortality rate of patients with hypovolemic shock. It is advised to keep the patient warm for the sake of maintaining the temperatures of all kinds of fluids inside the patient. Monitoring parameters
Oxygen saturation by pulse oximetry (SpO2). Respiratory rate. Pulse rate. Arterial blood pressure. Pulse pressure. Central venous pressure. Urine output. Base deficit and/or lactic acid. Temperature. Mental state. Changes in the electrocardiogram. Prognosis
If the vital organs are deprived of perfusion for more than just a short time, the prognosis is generally not good. Shock is still a medical emergency characterized by a high mortality rate. Early identification of patients who are likely to succumb to their illness is of utmost importance. Epidemiology
Blood loss
Trauma remains a leading cause of death worldwide with approximately half of these attributed to hemorrhage. In the United States in 2001, trauma was the third leading cause of death overall, and the leading cause of death in those aged 1 to 44 years. While trauma spans all demographics, it disproportionately affects the young with 40% of injuries occurring in ages 20 to 39 years by one countrys account. Of this 40%, the greatest incidence was in the 20 to 24-year-old range.The preponderance of hemorrhagic shock cases resulting from trauma is high. During one year, one trauma center reported 62.2% of massive transfusions occur in the setting of trauma.
Hypovolemic shock is a form of shock caused by severe hypovolemia (insufficient blood volume or extracellular fluid in the body). It could be the result of severe dehydration through a variety of mechanisms or blood loss. Hypovolemic shock is a medical emergency; if left untreated, the insufficient blood flow can cause damage to organs, leading to multiple organ failure.In treating hypovolemic shock, it is important to determine the cause of the underlying hypovolemia, which may be the result of bleeding or other fluid losses. To minimize ischemic damage to tissues, treatment involves quickly replacing lost blood or fluids, with consideration of both rate and the type of fluids used.Tachycardia, a fast heart rate, is typically the first abnormal vital sign. When resulting from blood loss, trauma is the most common root cause, but severe blood loss can also happen in various body systems without clear traumatic injury. The body in hypovolemic shock prioritizes getting oxygen to the brain and heart, which reduces blood flow to nonvital organs and extremities, causing them to grow cold, look mottled, and exhibit delayed capillary refill. The lack of adequate oxygen delivery ultimately leads to a worsening increase in the acidity of the blood (acidosis). The "lethal triad" of ways trauma can lead to death is acidosis, hypothermia, and coagulopathy.