ABSTRACT
Shock presents with some or all of the classical signs of tachycardia, hypotension, peripheral shut down and altered conscious level. In children and young healthy adults compensatory mechanisms will often make the signs of early shock less obvious. Similarly in the elderly the classical signs of shock may be less obvious or masked by the effects of certain drugs, e.g. β blockers. Cardiogenic shock secondary to myocardial infarction should be considered in all patients with shock and abdominal pain before aggressive fluid resuscitation is commenced.
