In hypovolemic or volume deficiency shock, a reduction in circulating blood volume occurs due to external or internal bleeding, for example during surgery or as a result of an accident or other injury. However, another cause can be the loss of blood plasma (non-cellular components of the blood) or protein (proteins in the blood) due to skin burns. In this state, the skin no longer serves as a natural regulatory barrier for the water and electrolyte balance (salt balance) and too much of the liquid blood components escape through the destroyed skin. Furthermore, hypovolemic shock can also occur in the event of severe water and electrolyte loss (dehydration), triggered by massive diarrhea or vomiting.
Causes of cardiogenic shock
The cause of cardiogenic shock is always a reduced pumping capacity of the heart (cardiac insufficiency). The heart is no longer able to pump blood to the periphery, i.e. to the areas of the body that are very far from the trunk, such as the arms or legs. Therefore the blood centralizes in the area of the trunk. This can be the cause of the heart’s reduced pumping capacity:
- A heart attack
- However, the same applies to pulmonary embolism (due to an occlusion of a pulmonary artery, the blood backs up into the heart, which is weakened by the pumping against the increased resistance)
- Bleeding into the pericardium, whereupon the heart is constricted in its expansion and thus its pumping capacity
- An inflammation of the pericardium (pericarditis)
- Or it could be ventricular fibrillation or cardiac arrhythmia of the heart. In ventricular fibrillation or severe irregularities in the rhythm of the heartbeat, the work of the heart becomes ineffective, i.e. despite increased pumping, not enough volume flows into the body’s circulation.
Causes of anaphylactic shock
In anaphylactic shock, the cause of the mismatch between the capacity and filling of the blood vessels (little filling) is the change in the tension of the vessel wall (low tension) due to These allergens are attacked by antibodies of the human body, which now release so-called tissue mediators that cause the vessels to dilate. As a result, the circulating blood volume no longer sufficiently fills the vascular system. The blood pressure drops rapidly and the body is in shock.
- Effect of poisons
- Medication
- Contact with blood of a blood group other than the appropriate or
- Another allergenic substance.
