Treatment:

Cardiogenic shock is a medical emergency. You will need to stay in the hospital, usually in the Intensive Care Unit. The goal of treatment is to find and treat the cause of shock to save your life.

You may need medicines to increase blood pressure and improve heart function, including:

• Dobutamine
• Dopamine
• Epinephrine
• Norepinephrine

These medicines may help in the short-term, but they should not be used over the long-term.

When a heart rhythm disturbance (dysrhythmia) is serious, urgent treatment may be needed to restore a normal heart rhythm. This may include:

• Electrical "shock" therapy (defibrillation or cardioversion)
• Implanting a temporary pacemaker
• Medications given through a vein (intravenous)

You may receive pain medicine if needed. Bed rest is recommended to reduce demands on the heart.

Getting oxygen by a nasal tube or mask worn over the mouth lowers the workload of the heart helping the tissue of the body need less blood.

You may receive intravenous fluids, including blood and blood products, if needed.

Other treatments for shock may include:

• Cardiac catheterization with coronary angioplasty and stenting
• Heart monitoring to guide treatment
• Heart surgery (coronary artery bypass surgery, heart valve replacement, left ventricular assist device)
• Intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation (IABP) to improve heart and blood vessel function
• Pacemaker

Expectations (prognosis):

In the past, the death rate from cardiogenic shock ranged from 80 - 90%. In more recent studies, this rate has decreased to 50 - 75%.

When cardiogenic shock is not treated, the outlook is poor.

Complications:

• Brain damage
• Kidney damage
• Liver damage

Calling your health care provider:

Go to the emergency room or call the local emergency number (such as 911) if you have symptoms of cardiogenic shock. Cardiogenic shock is a medical emergency.