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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 .
What is the most important remember when treating for shock?
Shock Treatment
- Lay the Person Down, if Possible. Elevate the person's feet about 12 inches unless head, neck, or back is injured or you suspect broken hip or leg bones.
- Begin CPR, if Necessary. For a child, start CPR for children. ...
- Treat Obvious Injuries
- Keep Person Warm and Comfortable. Loosen restrictive clothing. ...
- Follow Up. ...
What are the steps for preventing or treating shock?
Then immediately take the following steps:
- Lay the person down and elevate the legs and feet slightly, unless you think this may cause pain or further injury.
- Keep the person still and don't move him or her unless necessary.
- Begin CPR if the person shows no signs of life, such as not breathing, coughing or moving.
How to treat someone with shock and identify symptoms?
There are several main causes of shock:
- Heart conditions (heart attack, heart failure)
- Heavy internal or external bleeding, such as from a serious injury or rupture of a blood vessel
- Dehydration, especially when severe or related to heat illness.
- Infection (septic shock)
- Severe allergic reaction (anaphylactic shock)
- Spinal injuries (neurogenic shock)
- Burns
- Persistent vomiting or diarrhea
What are 5 causes of shock?
What are 3 treatments for shock?
Shock TreatmentCall 911.Lay the Person Down, if Possible.Begin CPR, if Necessary.Treat Obvious Injuries.Keep Person Warm and Comfortable.Follow Up.
What is shock and how is it treated?
Shock is a life-threatening condition that occurs when the body is not getting enough blood flow. Lack of blood flow means the cells and organs do not get enough oxygen and nutrients to function properly. Many organs can be damaged as a result. Shock requires immediate treatment and can get worse very rapidly.
What are the 6 steps to treat for shock?
Emergency adviceTreat the cause of shock.Lie them down with raised legs.Call 999.Loosen tight clothing.Keep them calm and warm.
What drugs are used to treat shock?
In addition to the endogenous catecholamines, dobutamine, isoproterenol, phenylephrine, and milrinone have served as the mainstays of shock therapy for several decades.
How is shock diagnosed?
DIFFERENTIAL DIAGNOSIS OF SHOCK In a patient with shock, a wide pulse pressure accompanied by warm extremities and brisk capillary refill is evidence of high cardiac output (CO; distributive shock). Alternatively, a narrow pulse pressure, cool extremities, and delayed capillary refill suggest low CO.
What happens when a person is in shock?
The symptoms of shock include cold and sweaty skin that may be pale or gray, weak but rapid pulse, irritability, thirst, irregular breathing, dizziness, profuse sweating, fatigue, dilated pupils, lackluster eyes, anxiety, confusion, nausea, and reduced urine flow. If untreated, shock is usually fatal.
What are symptoms of shock?
Common signs and symptoms of shock include:Low blood pressure.Altered mental state, including reduced alertness and awareness, confusion, and sleepiness.Cold, moist skin. Hands and feet may be blue or pale.Weak or rapid pulse.Rapid breathing and hyperventilation.Decreased urine output.
What are the 7 types of shock?
18.9A: Types of ShockHypovolemic Shock.Cardiogenic Shock.Obstructive Shock.Distributive Shock.Septic.Anaphylactic.Neurogenic.
What is the most common factor that all shock patients have in common?
A factor that all shock patients have in common is a deficient capillary perfusion, or an insufficient amount of blood flowing through the capillaries. The cornerstone of the treatment of hypovolemic shock is the administration of adequate amounts of the right kinds of intravenous fluids.
Is blood pressure normal in shock?
Shock patients may have a low, normal, or high arterial blood pressure, and the blood volume may be below normal, normal, or above normal. Shock is not necessarily accompanied by low arterial pH or low peripheral resistance. Most cases of acute traumatic and hemorrhagic shock show a high arterial pH, partly due to the blowing off of CO2, ...
What is shock therapy?
"Shock therapy" was so-called, as an electric shock is used to induce a controlled seizure intended as a treatment , primarily for mood disorders, although other conditions may be treated as well. Shock therapy is now known as electroconvulsive therapy or ECT.
Where is shock therapy performed?
Shock therapy is performed in a hospital, sometimes in an area specifically set aside for this treatment. An intravenous (IV) is inserted to provide anesthetic medication. Vital signs are taken initially and continuously throughout the shock therapy treatment.
How does shock therapy feel?
How Shock Therapy Feels. When you awake from the anesthesia, you may be confused and tired. You will likely experience short-term memory loss around the time of the procedure. With multiple treatments, this may increase. Adverse cognitive effects tend to be the most concerning factors around ECT and tend to affect the frequency and duration ...
What is the name of the drug that is used to treat seizures?
A paralyzing agent called succinylcholine is then administered to prevent the seizure from spreading to your body. The electrodes are then applied to your head with conducting jelly and a brief shock (less than 2 seconds) is administered.
How to know if you are recovering from shock?
Your vital signs will be monitored closely after the shock treatment to ensure proper recovery. You may feel head, muscle or back pain. Such discomfort tends to be relieved by mild medications. If any post-treatment effect is concerning you, you should talk to the treating physician immediately.
Is electroconvulsive therapy effective?
Electroconvulsive therapy has also shown effectiveness in treating other disorders such as neuroleptic malignant syndrome (a rare, severe, adverse reaction to antipsychotic medication). Shock treatment for depression and other disorders is indicated when the patient needs rapid improvement because the patient is:
Does mania respond to shock?
Mania also often responds well to shock treatment. The picture is not as bright for schizophrenia, which is more difficult to treat and is characterized by frequent relapses. A small number of patients are placed on maintenance shock therapy.
What are the main treatments for shock?
Immobilization, anti-inflammatories such as steroids and surgery are the main treatments. Shock prevention includes learning ways to prevent heart disease, injuries, dehydration, and other causes of shock.
How to help someone who is in shock?
Self-Care at Home. Call 911 for immediate medical attention any time a person has symptoms of shock. Do not wait for symptoms to worsen before calling for help. Stay with the person until help arrives, and if possible, stay on the line with the 911 dispatcher because they may have specific instructions for you.
What are the different types of shock?
There are several types of shock: septic shock caused by bacteria, anaphylactic shock caused by hypersensitivity or allergic reaction, cardiogenic shock from heart damage, hypovolemic shock from blood or fluid loss, and neurogenic shock from spinal cord trauma. Treatment for shock depends on the cause.
How is cardiogenic shock treated?
Cardiogenic shock is treated by identifying and treating the underlying cause. Hypovolemic shock is treated with fluids (saline) in minor cases, and blood transfusions in severe cases. Neurogenic shock is the most difficult to treat as spinal cord damage is often irreversible.
Why is prompt treatment important?
Prompt treatment of medical shock is essential for the best outcome. Moreover, the outlook depends on the cause of the shock, the general health of the patient, and the promptness of treatment and recovery. Generally, hypovolemic shock and anaphylactic shock respond well to medical treatment if initiated early.
What is the treatment for septic shock?
Usually, IV fluids are administered in addition to medications that raise blood pressure. Septic shock is treated with antibiotics and fluids. Anaphylactic shock is treated with diphenhydramine ( Benadryl ), epinephrine (an "Epi-pen"), and steroid medications (solumedrol).
What causes anaphylactic shock?
Common causes of this are pneumonia, urinary tract infections, skin infections ( cellulitis ), intra-abdominal infections (such as a ruptured appendix ), and meningitis . Anaphylactic shock is a type of severe hypersensitivity or allergic reaction. Causes include allergy to insect stings, medicines, or foods (nuts, berries, seafood), etc.
Shock Therapy: Process, Preparation, Outcomes and more
Krystina is a Technical Writer with a background in healthcare. She has spent the last 10 years working for an internationally recognized medical facility where she found her passion for making complicated topics easier to understand.
The Electroconvulsive Therapy Process
An ECT treatment regimen will typically include sessions two to three days a week for a total of six to 12 treatments. The schedule works out to about one month of treatment, although the course may continue for longer.
How to Prepare for Your Treatment
ECT sessions generally do not require much preparation, though you will need to go over the specifics with your doctor. Your doctor may give you orders to follow based on other health conditions you have or medications you take.
Potential Outcomes of Shock Therapy
Most people who undergo ECT will see a noticeable change in their symptoms. Some people will notice an immediate improvement after one session. However, it is more common to not see or feel a significant difference in symptoms for several sessions.
Summary
Electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) can be used to treat major depressive disorde r, bipolar disorder, and other psychiatric conditions. It is often considered when other treatments have not helped.
A Word From Verywell
If you are wondering if shock therapy might be a treatment option for you, discuss it with your psychiatrist. While ECT can provide lasting relief from the symptoms of MDD, bipolar disorder, and similar conditions, it's not the right choice for everyone.
Frequently Asked Questions
Even though ECT has been around for nearly 90 years, scientists still are not quite sure why or how it benefits some people with depression.
What is insulin shock therapy?
Until the discovery of the tranquilizing drugs, variations of insulin-shock therapy (also called insulin-coma therapy) were commonly used in the treatment of schizophrenia and other psychotic conditions. With insulin-shock treatment, the patient is given increasingly large doses of insulin, which reduce the sugar content ...
How effective is insulin shock?
Insulin shock had its greatest effectiveness with schizophrenic patients whose illness had lasted less than two years ( the rate of spontane ous recovery from schizophrenia also is highest in the first two years of the illness). Insulin-shock therapy also had more value in the treatment of paranoid and catatonic schizophrenia than in ...
What is the purpose of electroshock therapy?
Electroconvulsive, or electroshock, therapy, introduced in Rome in 1938 by U. Cerletti and L. Bini, has been widely used in treating disturbances in which severe depression is the predominant symptom.
What to do when someone is in shock?
If you suspect a person is in shock, call 911 or your local emergency number. Then immediately take the following steps: Lay the person down and elevate the legs and feet slightly, unless you think this may cause pain or further injury. Keep the person still and don't move him or her unless necessary.
What is shock in Mayo Clinic?
By Mayo Clinic Staff. Shock is a critical condition brought on by the sudden drop in blood flow through the body. Shock may result from trauma, heatstroke, blood loss, an allergic reaction, severe infection, poisoning, severe burns or other causes.
How do you know if you're in shock?
Signs and symptoms of shock vary depending on circumstances and may include: 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.
How to stop a person from breathing?
Begin CPR if the person shows no signs of life, such as not breathing, coughing or moving. Loosen tight clothing and, if needed, cover the person with a blanket to prevent chilling. Don't let the person eat or drink anything.
Terminology
Mechanism
- The brain is still not well understood, nor is the reason for the treatment effects ECT (shock) therapy has on some individuals. It is known that ECT affects hormones, neuropeptides, neurotrophic factors, and neurotransmitters in the brain. All of this may come together to explain how ECT works in treatment.
Preparation
- A full physical is generally needed before shock therapy. Because general anesthesia will be administered, one should not eat or drink 8-12 hours before the shock treatment. This helps to prevent any vomiting during the procedure. Other exams like an electrocardiogram (ECG) may also be given before ECT to ensure the procedure is safe and appropriate.
Treatment
- Shock therapy is performed in a hospital, sometimes in an area specifically set aside for this treatment. An intravenous (IV) is inserted to provide anesthetic medication. Vital signs are taken initially and continuously throughout the shock therapy treatment. An anesthesiologist administers anesthesia and after you are asleep, places a tube in you...
Results
- When you awake from the anesthesia, you may be confused and tired. You will likely experience short-term memory loss around the time of the procedure. With multiple treatments, this may increase. Adverse cognitive effects tend to be the most concerning factors around ECT and tend to affect the frequency and duration of treatments and whether ECT is offered at all. Your vital si…
Uses
- It is most common to see shock therapy used in severe cases of depression. Shock therapy is also performed to improve the condition of the following disorders:1
Risks
- The complications associated with ECT / shock therapy are often related to electrode placement with bilateral placement (an electrode by each temple) typically showing greater unwanted cognitive effects than unilateral placement (one electrode at the temple and the other on the forehead). Risks of shock therapy include slow heart beat (bradycardia) and rapid heartbeat (tac…
Prognosis
- Shock treatment for depression often produces a dramatic improvement in symptoms, especially in elderly individuals, sometimes during the first week of treatment. While it is estimated many of these patients will experience a future return of depression symptoms, the prognosis for each episode of depression is good. Mania also often responds well to shock treatment. The picture i…