Heart & lung : the journal of critical care
-
Review Case Reports
Treatment strategies in shock: use of oxygen transport measurements.
Shock has traditionally been categorized according to its cause. Shock can result from hemorrhage, primary cardiac failure, central nervous system failure, trauma, or sepsis. Therapeutic principles have been developed for each etiologic type. ⋯ These variables are easily calculated by using data obtained from pulmonary artery catheter and laboratory measurements. The physician or nurse caring for critical ill patients should have a thorough understanding of the rationale for the use of oxygen transport calculations and the methods of manipulating oxygen delivery. A simple explanation of these principles including the importance of hemoglobin, cardiac index, and percent saturation of hemoglobin and suggested treatment strategies are presented.