ABSTRACT
Immediately after assuring airway patency and ventilation adequacy (Volume 1, Chapter 8), vascular access is achieved (Volume 1, Chapter 10), and the circulatory status is assessed and resuscitated as required. The initial focus during circulatory resuscitation for trauma is the control of obvious bleeding sources, followed by an assessment of general systemic perfusion, including the presence or absence of shock indicators. Shock is defined as inadequate organ perfusion or tissue oxygenation.
