- Traditionally classified by aetiology into four sub-types:
- Hypovolaemic
- Distributive
- Cardiogenic
- Obstructive
Hypovolaemic shock
- Blood loss e.g. due to major haemorrhage including major obstetric haemorrhage
- Water loss e.g. gastrointestinal losses, polyuria
- Fluid shifts e.g. acute pancreatitis, burns or other causes of 'third spacing' such as ascites or major trauma
Distributive shock
- Sepsis
- Anaphylaxis
- Neurogenic vasoplegia e.g. due to cervical spine injury
- Reperfusion injury e.g. following cardiac arrest, CPB
- Adrenocortical insufficiency
- Hypercarbia
Cardiogenic shock
- See dedicated page on cardiogenic shock
Obstructive shock
- Pulmonary embolism or other embolic phenomenon e.g. air embolism or amniotic fluid embolism
- Tension pneumothorax
- Cardiac tamponade
- Iatrogenic e.g. dynamic hyperinflation during mechanical ventilation of the patient with status asthamticus