Shock:
- Treat the cause of shock.
- Lie them down with raised legs.
- Call 999 or 112.
- Loosen tight clothing.
- Keep them calm and warm.
What is shock?
Shock can be caused by anything that reduces the flow of blood, such as:
- severe internal or external bleeding
- heart problems, such as a heart attack, or heart failure
- loss of body fluids from dehydration, diarrhoea, vomiting, or burns
- severe allergic reactions and overwhelming infection (septic shock)
- spinal cord injury.
Signs and symptoms
Look for:
- pale skin, which may be cold and clammy
- sweating
- a fast pulse as shock gets worse
- fast, shallow breathing
- a weak pulse
- grey-blue skin, especially inside the lips (with dark skin, look at the palms of the hands and the base of the feet)
- nausea and possible vomiting
- restlessness and aggressive behaviour as the brain's oxygen supply decreases
- yawning and gasping for air
- the casualty could become unresponsive.
What to do
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First, treat any cause of shock that you can see or that you have identified from the primary survey, such as severe bleeding.
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Then help the casualty to lie down. Raise their legs, supporting them on a chair. This will help to improve the blood supply to their vital organs.
- If available, lay them down on a rug or blanket to protect them from the cold.
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Call 999 or 112 for emergency help and tell ambulance control you think they are in shock. If possible, explain what you think caused it.
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Loosen any tight clothing around the neck, chest and waist to make sure it doesn’t constrict their blood flow.
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While waiting for help to arrive, cover them with a coat or blanket to help keep them warm.
- Remember, fear and pain can make shock worse by increasing the body’s demand for oxygen, so try to reassure the casualty and keep them calm if you can.
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Monitor their level of response.
- If they become unresponsive at any point, prepare to treat them as an unresponsive casualty.
