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Cardiogenic shock - Overview

Alternative Names

Shock - cardiogenic

Definition of Cardiogenic shock:

Cardiogenic shock is a state in which the heart has been damaged so much that it is unable to supply enough blood to the organs of the body.

Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Shock occurs whenever the heart is unable to pump as much blood as the body needs.

The most common causes are serious heart complications. Many of these occur during or after a heart attack (myocardial infarction). These complications include:

A large section of heart muscle that no longer moves well or does not move at all
Breaking open (rupture) of the heart muscle due to damage from the heart attack
Dangerous heart rhythms, such as ventricular tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, or supraventricular tachycardia
Tear or rupture of the muscles or tendons that support the heart valves, especially the mitral valve
Tear or rupture of the wall (septum) between the left and right ventricles (lower heart chambers)
Very slow heart rhythm (bradycardia) or problem with the electrical system of the heart (heart block)

Reviewed last on: 5/23/2011
Michael A. Chen, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington Medical School, Seattle, Washington. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.

References

Gheorghiade M, Filippatos GS, Felker GM. Diagnosis and management of acute failure syndromes. In: Bonow RO, Mann DL, Zipes DP, Libby P, eds. Braunwald's Heart Disease: A Textbook of Cardiovascular Medicine. 9th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders; 2011:chap 27.

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