Cardiogenic shock occurs when the heart loses its ability to pump blood in amounts appropriate to organs, leading to a marked decrease in blood pressure, a lack of oxygen in tissues, and a buildup of fluid in the lungs.
This type of shock is one of the biggest complications of acute myocardial infarction and if not treated urgently can lead to death in almost 50% of cases, for example, if cardiogenic shock is suspected, it is very important to go to the hospital immediately to confirm the diagnosis and initiate appropriate treatment.
Symptoms that may indicate possible cardiogenic shock include
In case of fluid buildup in the lungs or pulmonary edema, shortness of breath and abnormal noises during breathing, such as wheezing, may occur, for example.
Because cardiogenic shock is more common after a heart attack, these symptoms are also accompanied by heart attack symptoms, such as a feeling of chest pressure, tingling in the arm, a lump in the throat, or nausea.See a more complete list of signs that may indicate a heart attack.
Diagnosis of cardiogenic shock should be made as soon as possible in the hospital and, therefore, if there is suspicion it is very important to go to emergencies quickly, your doctor may use certain tests, such as blood pressure measurement, electrocardiogram or chest x-ray, to confirm cardiogenic shock and begin the most appropriate treatment.
Although heart attack is the most common cause of cardiogenic shock, other problems can also cause this complication.Other possible causes include:
In addition, in the more advanced stage of sepsis, which is a widespread infection of the body, cardiogenic shock can also occur, which almost always results in death.Learn how to identify a sepsis case, start treatment, and avoid cardiogenic shock.
Cardiogenic shock treatment is usually initiated directly in the hospital emergency room, but then it is necessary to stay in an intensive care unit, where different types of treatment can be performed to try to relieve symptoms, improve heart function and facilitate circulation.
In addition to the serum that is applied directly to the vein to maintain hydration and nutrition, your doctor may also use:
These remedies are also administered directly into the vein, at least during the first week of treatment, and can then be taken orally, when the condition improves.
This type of treatment is done to restore circulation to the heart, for example in case of a heart attack, so your doctor usually inserts a catheter, which is long, long and thin, through an artery, usually in your neck or groin, to your heart to remove a possible clot and allow blood to pass through properly again.
Learn more about how catheterization is performed and what it’s for
Surgery is usually used only in the most severe cases or when symptoms do not improve with the use of medication or catheterization In these cases, surgery can be used to correct a heart injury or perform a heart bypass, in which your doctor places another artery in your heart so that blood passes into the area without oxygen due to the presence of a clot.
When heart function is severely affected and no technique works, the last step of treatment is to undergo a heart transplant, however, it is necessary to find a suitable donor, which can be quite complicated.Learn more about heart transplantation.
Complications of cardiogenic shock are the failure of several noble organs such as the kidneys, brain and liver, responsible for most deaths of patients admitted into intensive care.These complications can be avoided as long as diagnosis and treatment are done early.