cardiogenic shock

"insufficient cardiac output leading to end organ damage"
Etiology See acute heart failure.
Clinical presentation Fluid-refractory hypotension
Highly heterogenous population (see Jung et al 2025 review) - chronic heart failure => long-term compensation mechanisms
Ddx:
Pathogenesis
Diagnostic investigations
Management Treat underlying cause - most cardiogenic shock has an ischaemic cause
A/B: PEEP can ↓ afterload?
C:
- Rate: aiming HR 80-100?
- Rhythm: sinus rhythm = atrial kick contribution to filling
- Preload: tinker with caution
- Afterload:
- ↑ systemic vascular resistance to improve coronary perfusion? - however shocked patients are usually already maximally vasoconstricted
- Inodilators (milrinone, dobutamine) to reduce afterload?
- and/or pulmonary vasodilators to reduce RV afterload?
- Contractility:
- Dobutamine to improve LV contractility