What is cardiogenic shock? Causes of cardiogenic shock

The article was professionally consulted by Dr. Nguyen Quoc Viet - Cardiologist and Cardiovascular Interventionist, Vinmec Danang International General Hospital.

Cardiogenic shock is one of the major causes of death, although it is a dangerous disease, very few people know about it. With immediate treatment, about half of people with cardiogenic shock survive.

Cardiogenic shock is a condition in which the heart is suddenly unable to pump blood to meet the body's needs. Cardiogenic shock usually occurs after a severe heart attack.

Symptoms of cardiogenic shock include:
Rapid breathing. Severe shortness of breath. Sudden rapid heart rate. Confused. Loss of consciousness. Sweat. Pale skin. Cold hands or feet. Urinating less than usual or not at all.

Cardiogenic shock occurs when your heart cannot pump enough blood to the rest of your body. Acute myocardial infarction is the leading cause of cardiogenic shock, especially extensive anterior infarction because of a large area of ​​myocardial necrosis.
A heart attack occurs when one or more of the arteries supplying oxygen-rich blood are blocked. Over time, a coronary artery can become narrowed from a buildup of cholesterol. This buildup is called plaque, in arteries throughout the body is known as atherosclerosis.
During a heart attack, one of the plaques can rupture and a blood clot forms. If the clot is large enough, it can block blood flow through the artery. Without oxygen-rich blood circulating to the rest of the body, the heart muscle can weaken and progress into cardiogenic shock.
Rarely, cardiogenic shock occurs when the right ventricle of the heart has problems. The right ventricle of the heart sends blood to the lungs to receive oxygen before being pumped to the rest of the body. Damage to the right ventricle makes it ineffective to pump blood to the lungs, so the body doesn't get enough oxygen.
Although heart attacks are the most common cause, cardiogenic shock can also occur from other conditions, such as myocarditis or infection of the heart valves (endocarditis).
Other causes include drug overdose or poisoning with substances that can affect the pumping ability of the heart. The disease is common in the elderly and people with diabetes, people with a history of myocardial infarction, peripheral vascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, multivessel atherosclerosis... are likely subjects. high in cardiogenic shock.

The best way to prevent cardiogenic shock is to prevent a heart attack from happening. Useable lifestyle changes can help prevent a heart attack. Lifestyle changes include:
Controlling hypertension. One of the most important things you can do to reduce your heart attack and your risk of cardiogenic shock is to keep your blood pressure under control. Lower cholesterol and saturated fat in the diet. Eating less cholesterol and fat, especially saturated fat, can reduce plaque in the arteries. If cholesterol cannot be controlled through dietary changes, your doctor may prescribe a cholesterol-lowering medication. No smoking. Quitting smoking reduces your risk of having a heart attack. A few years after quitting, a smoker has the same risk of stroke as a non-smoker. Maintain a healthy weight. Being overweight contributes to other risk factors for heart attack and cardiogenic shock, such as high blood pressure, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Weight loss of at least 4.5 kg can lower blood pressure and improve cholesterol levels. Exercise regularly. Exercise reduces your risk of having a heart attack in several ways. Exercise can lower blood pressure, increase levels of high-density lipoprotein (HDL), and improve the overall health of blood vessels and the heart. Exercise also helps with weight loss, diabetes control, and stress relief. Vinmec International General Hospital offers customers a Cardiovascular screening package including general tests, echocardiogram, electrocardiogram, blood pressure holter to help check and screen for medical problems in a timely manner. cardiovascular theory.

Articles refer to the source of the Vietnam Cardiology Association