In this Article

• What is shock?
• What are the types of shock?
• What are the causes of shock?
• What are the symptoms of shock?
• When should I seek medical care for shock?
• What is the treatment for shock?
• Can shock be prevented?
• What is the outlook for shock?
• Shock Glossary
• Shock Index

Can shock be prevented?

Learn ways to prevent heart disease, injuries, dehydration and other causes of shock.

If you have a known allergy, carry an epinephrine pen, which your doctor can prescribe.

What is the outlook for shock?

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.

Septic shock is a serious condition which can have a mortality rate of 40%-75% according to some estimates. The sooner the infection is treated and fluids are administered, the greater the chances of success.

Cardiogenic shock has a poor prognosis, with only 1/3 of patients surviving. Because this type of shock results from injury or dysfunction of the heart it is often difficult to treat and overcome.

Spinal shock also has a very poor prognosis because the spinal cord mediates so many important bodily functions. There are currently very few effective treatments but medical research is making advances in the treatment of spinal injuries.

References: MedlinePlus, Wikipedia,  Mayoclinic.com, American Medical Association Encyclopedia of Medicine, eMedicne.com, "Septic Shock." The Chinese University of Hong Kong.

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