FIRST AID MANAGEMENT OF SHOCK

3 minutes read . July 7, 2022

Shock is a life-threatening condition of circulatory failure, causing inadequate oxygen delivery to meet cellular metabolic needs and oxygen consumption requirements, producing cellular and tissue hypoxia. The effects of shock are initially reversible, but rapidly become irreversible, resulting in multiorgan failure (MOF) and death. When a patient presents with undifferentiated shock, it is important that the clinician immediately initiate therapy while rapidly identifying the etiology so that definitive therapy can be administered to reverse shock and prevent MOF and death.

 

Major classes of shock include:

  • Cardiogenic shock (associated with heart problems)
  • Hypovolemic shock (caused by inadequate blood volume)
  • Anaphylactic shock ( caused by allergicreaction)
  • Septic shock (associated with infection)
  • Neurogenic shock (caused by damage to the nervous system)

 

Symptoms

A person in shock has extremely low blood pressure. Depending on the specific cause and type of shock, symptoms will include one or more of the following:

  • Cool, clammy skin
  • Pale or ashen skin
  • Bluish tinge to lips or fingernails (or gray in the case of dark complexions)
  • Rapid pulse
  • Rapid breathing
  • Nausea or vomiting
  • Enlarged pupils
  • Weakness or fatigue
  • Dizziness or fainting
  • Changes in mental status or behavior, such as anxiousness or agitation

 

First Aid

  • First, treat any cause of shock that you can see or that you have identified from the primary survey, such as severe bleeding.
  • Then help the casualty to lie down. Raise the casualty’s legs, supporting them on a chair, as this will help to improve the blood supply to their vital organs.(If available, lay them down on a rug or blanket to protect them from the cold.)
  • Loosen any tight clothing around the neck, chest, and waist to make sure it doesn’t constrict their blood flow.
  • While waiting for help to arrive, cover them with a coat or blanket to help keep them warm(Remember, fear and pain can make shock worse by increasing the body’s demand for oxygen, so try to reassure the casualty and keep them calm if you can.)
  • Monitor their level of response(If they become unresponsive at any point, prepare to treat an unresponsive casualty.)
  • Call  102 for emergency help ambulance control you think they are in shock. If possible, explain what you think caused it.

 

DO NOT

  • Do not give the person anything by mouth, including anything to eat or drink.
  • Do not move the person with a known or suspected spinal injury.
  • Do not wait for milder shock symptoms to worsen before calling for emergency medical help.
  • Transport the patient quickly to the hospital.
  • Remember that in shock a delay of even a few minutes may mean death. So attend to the patient as quickly as possible.

 

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