ABSTRACT
In the shocked state, the distribution of blood flow is important. While certain viscera preserve flow through autoregulation (e.g. heart, kidney), others cannot (e.g. skin, gut) and may be hypoperfused preferentially. Intestinal hypoperfusion may occur in the face of a normal pulse and blood pressure and, following a brief hypotensive episode, a prolonged period of intestinal hypoxia may occur, with generation of cytokines and the onset of systemic inflammation.
