Studies in Clinical Shock and Hypotension
- 1 October 1965
- journal article
- research article
- Published by American Medical Association (AMA) in Archives of internal medicine (1960)
- Vol. 116 (4) , 562-566
- https://doi.org/10.1001/archinte.1965.03870040076016
Abstract
A LTHOUGH the meaning of the term "shock" is controversial,1there is general agreement that the cardinal manifestation of both experimental and clinical shock states is a deficiency of blood flow.2-5The lowered systemic arterial pressure observed clinically often is treated with vasopressor drugs, but their use has been discouraged6because of concern that a further reduction in systemic blood flow might result. A variety of therapeutic agents has been recommended to increase blood flow in shock, including vasodilators,7ganglionic block agents,8adrenergic blocking agents,9isoproterenol10and corticosteroids.11 Dextran has been widely used in the emergency treatment of shock associated with blood loss,12but it has not been routinely employed in hypotensive patients without a history or signs of blood volume depletion. The ten patients studied in the present report became acutely hypotensive without obvious blood loss. Right atrial pressures were not significantly elevated, indicating the absence of overt rightThis publication has 0 references indexed in Scilit: