Health Essay Sample

Essay 7
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Essay 7
1 Differentiate among several types of shock: cardiogenic, hypovolemic, obstructive, distributive, and septic. Explain the pathophysiology of each.
Cardiogenic shock is a life-threatening condition caused by myocardial infarction. It leads to multiple organ failure and eventual death as a result of cardiac dysfunction (Chioncel, et al., 2020). It is characterized by a reduction in cardiac output as a result of initial cardiac insult followed by vasoconstriction. As cardiac output and stroke volume decrease, the blood pressure decreases. This is attributed to vasoconstriction (Chioncel, et al., 2020). Also, a systemic inflammatory response occurs, causing vasodilation that leads to hypoperfusion. Microcirculatory dysfunction occurs, causing multiple organ failures. Patients with cardiogenic shock experience hypoperfusion, oliguria, dizziness, and mental confusion (Chioncel, et al., 2020).
Hypovolemic shock is also a life-threatening condition caused by a loss of blood/ extracellular fluid (Taghavi & Askari, 2020). Such a loss causes the volume of the blood in the body to reduce, limiting the supply of oxygen to other body organs. It can lead to multiple organ failures as well (Taghavi & Askari, 2020). It is characterized by a heightened heart rate and cardiac contractility. It is also characterized by peripheral vasoconstriction and as the intravascular volume reduces, the blood pressure reduces as well. Low oxygen supply to body organs causes a shift from aerobic to anaerobic metabolism and as the body tries to maintain blood flow to the brain and heart, other organs are denied oxygen. Patients experience low urine output, clammy/cold skin, and muscle cramps (Taghavi & Askari, 2020). They also experience confusion, just like patients with cardiogenic shock.
Obstructive shock occurs when the heart or the great vessels have been obstructed (Standl et al., 2018). Like cardiogenic shock, obstructive shock is characterized by a reduction in cardiac output and subsequent drop in blood pressure. As Standl et al. (2018) reveal, extravascular or intravascular factors interfere with the flow of blood in the great vessels or out of the heart, causing the cardiac output to decrease. As the blood flow decreases, oxygen supply to vital organs is reduced, causing organ dysfunction. Patients may experience altered confusion in addition to low blood pressure and weak/rapid pulse.
Distributive shock is a condition caused by an abnormal distribution of blood flow. It is also referred to as vasodilatory shock because excessive vasodilation reduces blood flow to vital organs such as the heart, brain, and kidneys (Smith, Lopez, & Silberman, 2021). It is mostly caused by anaphylaxis, sepsis, capillary leak syndrome, and adrenal insufficiency. It is characterized by a systemic inflammatory response when histamines and cytokines are released in anaphylaxis and sepsis, respectively (Smith, Lopez, & Silberman, 2021). This causes systemic vasodilation, cardiomyopathy, and capillary leak. Patients may lose consciousness, experience low blood pressure, and warm skin.
Septic shock is a life-threatening condition caused by a severe infection. As the body tries to respond ...