Health Dictionary Find a Doctor

Shock causes

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Causes

Life Threatening Causes

Shock is a life-threatening condition and must be treated as such irrespective of the underlying cause.

Common Causes

  • Cardiogenic shock
  • Arrhythmic
  • Mechanical
  • Myopathic
  • Pharmacologic
  • Obstructive shock
  • Decreased cardiac compliance
  • Decreased ventricular preload
  • Increased ventricular afterload
  • Hypovolemic shock
  • Fluid depletion
  • Hemorrhage
  • Distributive shock

Causes by Organ System

Cardiovascular Acute ST elevation MI, Aortic dissection, Aortic stenosis, Arrhythmia, Cardiac tamponade, Cardiomyopathy, Constrictive pericarditis, Endocarditis, Hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, Myocarditis, Papillary muscle rupture, Dextran, Valvular stenosis, Vena cava occlusion
Chemical/Poisoning No underlying causes
Dental No underlying causes
Dermatologic No underlying causes
Drug Side Effect Cidofovir, Doxorubicin Hydrochloride, Meropenem, Pergolide, Pilocarpine, Pramipexole, Protamine sulfate, Theophylline
Ear Nose Throat No underlying causes
Endocrine Addisonian crisis, Hyperglycemia, Hyperthyroid coma, Hypoglycemia, Hypothyroid coma, Pheochromocytoma, Pituitary failure
Environmental No underlying causes
Gastroenterologic Ascites, Gastrointestinal bleeding, Gastrointestinal fluid loss, Hepatic failure, Mesenteric ischemia, Pancreatitis, Peritonitis
Genetic No underlying causes
Hematologic Blood transfusions
Iatrogenic Overdrainage
Infectious Disease No underlying causes
Musculoskeletal/Orthopedic No underlying causes
Neurologic Cerebrovascular accident, Craniocerebral trauma, Paraplegia, Spinal anesthesia
Nutritional/Metabolic No underlying causes
Obstetric/Gynecologic No underlying causes
Oncologic No underlying causes
Ophthalmologic No underlying causes
Overdose/Toxicity No underlying causes
Psychiatric No underlying causes
Pulmonary Hemothorax, Pneumonia, Positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP), Pulmonary embolism, Tension pneumothorax
Renal/Electrolyte Polyuria
Rheumatology/Immunology/Allergy Anaphylaxis, Anaphylactoid, Contrast media
Sexual No underlying causes
Trauma No underlying causes
Urologic No underlying causes
Miscellaneous Dehydration, Drugs, Insect bites, Retroperitoneal hemorrhage, Soft tissue hemorrhage, Visceral rupture

Causes in Alphabetical Order

References


Template:WikiDoc Sources

© 2026 MyEClinic – IFTM Institut für Telematik in der Medizin GmbH