Causes of shock

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You are on a "Causes of Shock" subpage. General information on the subject can be found on our shock page.

Causes of hypovolemic or volume depletion shock

Often an accident is the cause.

At the hypovolemic or Volume depletion shock arises the decrease in the circulating blood volume due to an external or internal Bleeding, for example during Operations or by one accident or other injuries.
Another root cause However, the loss of blood plasma (non-cellular components of the blood) or protein (proteins in the blood) due to Burns be the skin. 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 damaged skin.
Furthermore, the hypovolemic shock can also occur with severe water and electrolyte loss (Dehydration), triggered by massive diarrhea or Vomit, occur.

Causes of Cardiogenic Shock

The cause of the cardiogenic shock there is always a reduced pumping capacity of the heart (Heart failure). The heart is no longer able to pump blood to the periphery, i.e. the areas of the body that are very far away from the trunk, for example arms or legs. Therefore, the blood centralizes in the area of ​​the body trunk.
The cause of the reduced pumping capacity of the heart can be:

  • a Heart attack
  • but also one Pulmonary embolism (Due to a blockage of a pulmonary artery, the blood backs up into the heart, which is weakened by pumping against the increased resistance)
  • a Hemorrhage in the Pericardium, whereupon the heart is constricted in its expansion and thus its pumping capacity
  • a Inflammation of the heart sac (pericarditis)
  • or but Ventricular fibrillation or. Cardiac arrhythmias of Heart be. With 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 circulation.

Causes of anaphylactic shock

At the anaphylactic shock the cause of the disproportion between capacity and filling of the blood vessels (little filling) is the change in the vascular wall tension (little tension) due to:

  • Exposure to poisons
  • Medication
  • contact with blood of a different blood group than your own
    or
  • another allergenic substance.

These allergens are attacked by antibodies in the human body, which now release so-called tissue mediators, which cause the vessels to widen. As a result, the circulating blood volume no longer adequately fills the vascular system. The blood pressure drops rapidly and the body is in shock.

Causes of Septic Shock

Of the septic shock is caused by the flooding or the entry of bacteria into the bloodstream (Blood poisoning, sepsis) caused.
These bacteria now release tissue-active substances that, like the mediators in anaphylactic shock, reduce the tension in the vessel walls.
Here, too, there is a widening of the vessels and thus a relative lack of fluid in the vascular system. The introduction of bacteria into the bloodstream is usually caused by medical measures, for example punctures, operations, by taking certain medications (cytostatic drugs) or catheter infections (infection by a foreign body introduced into the body by a medical device).

Causes neurogenic shock

The causes of the neurogenic shocks lie in a dysregulation of the vascular resistance and thus the vessel width by the Nervous system. This malfunction is triggered by extreme pain, for example in a traumatic brain injury, one Cerebral hemorrhage or severe poisoning.