Cardiovascular system: cardiac output, coronary circulation, shock basics
Physiology · MBBS
Study notes
A heart attack patient is pale, sweaty, BP 80/50, barely urinating. The infarcted heart can't pump — cardiogenic shock. Output falls, so the body clamps down: sympathetic surge makes skin cold and clammy, heart races to compensate, kidneys hold urine, brain clouds. Treatment must restore pump function (open the blocked coronary fast) plus support pressure — fluids alone can't fix a failing pump and may flood the lungs. Recognizing shock's pattern saves lives because every minute of poor perfusion injures organs.
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