Cardiogenic Shock

Cardiogenic Shock Is Not Something To Mess With

The definition of a cardiogenic shock is any time a heart is not able to pump the blood to the rest of the body’s organs and tissue. Cardiogenic shock is not something that most of us have ever heard of and hopefully you will never experience it for yourself. In far too many cases those that suffer from this shock do not recover at all. This is an often fatal situation in which the heart is simply too damaged to the heart for it to continue to perform as it should. The blood will not be able to flow to and from the heart as it should and this can lead to complete heart failure. Understanding this shock is one way to be prepared for the worst. There are some treatment options available to those who have this condition and the following questions will help you to understand this condition much better thus allowing you to make the right decisions sooner. When cardiogenic shock has set in there is no time to waste, things need to be dealt with quickly and efficiency is you want to live.

Causes Of Cardiogenic Shock

There are a few things that can cause this shock such as the different kinds of heart disease. That is not the only thing though, you could also suffer from this due to damaged heart valves or even the electrical conduction system of the heart itself. If it is not working correctly it can cause cardiogenic shock.

Symptoms Of Cardiogenic Shock

The symptoms of this shock should be known about everyone and they are as follows: rapid or weak pulse, anxiety and nervousness, cold skin, rapid breathing, weakness and tiredness, loss of mental alertness, extreme sweating and even loss of consciousness. These can all be symptoms of this type of shock.

Diagnosing Cardiogenic Shock

If it is suspected that you are suffering form cardiogenic shock then you will sent for some tests such as an electrocardiogram, coronary angiography, echocardiogram, nuclear scan, CBC, type and a cross-match blood test in case transfusions are needed now or in the near future, Arterial blood gas and blood chemistry are also tests that your doctor may order you to undergo. These tests can save your life so make sure they get done.

Treatment Of Cardiogenic Shock

There are several different treatments that can mean the difference between life and death in this type of situation. First of all, this condition always calls for instant hospitalization, this is not an outpatient kind of situation. You may be given some medicines to help increase the functioning of your heart overall. You may also be put on intravenous fluids and given some blood transfusions. Once you are stable you could be a good candidate for a pacemaker or an intra-aortic balloon.

Prevention Of Cardiogenic Shock

The only prevention of cardiogenic shock is to take care of your heart. If you already have heart disease then you should meet with your doctor regularly to make sure that all of your health problems are being seen to. Stay on top of these health issues and any new ones that crop up. And if you do find yourself suffering from cardio shock then you need to get to the hospital as soon as possible to have it seen to.

Bookmarks
Bookmark This |