There are three vascular and two nonvascular causes of shock.
Vascular causes are:
Nonvascular causes are:
- Anaphylactic shock; the most severe form of allergic reaction, involving itching, flushing, hives, edema (especially of the face, lips and tongue), coughing, tightness in the chest, wheezing and dyspnea, drop in blood pressure, pallor, dizziness, fainting and coma. Anaphylactic shock is basically a type of respiratory shock, as the problems are mainly due to low blood oxygen
Symptoms of shock include:
Initial treatment of shock should involve the following steps:
- Open the patient's airway and give oxygen, if possible
- Control obvious bleeding through direct pressure
- Elevate the lower extremities ca. 12 inches (if no obvious fractures are present)
- Avoid rough handling, avoid causing any unnecessary pain
- Prevent loss of body heat by placing blankets under and over the patient (do not overload)
- Keep patient lying down; if patient has difficulty breathing, allow patient to assume most comfortable position
- Do not give the patient anything by mouth - neither food or drink
- Obtain medical attention for the patient as soon as possible