What is the Difference Between Cardiogenic and Hypovolemic Shock

The key difference between cardiogenic and hypovolemic shock is that cardiogenic shock arises due to impairment in myocardial performance, making the heart unable to pump enough blood into other parts of the body, while hypovolemic shock arises due to severe blood or body fluid loss, making the heart unable to pump enough blood into other parts of the body.

The heart is the most amazing organ in the body. It normally pumps oxygen-rich and nutrient-rich blood throughout the body in order to sustain life. It beats 100,000 times per day, pumping six quarts of blood each minute (about 2000 gallons per day). Heart is the key part of the cardiovascular system, which carries blood from the heart to other parts of the body and then back to the heart again. Due to various reasons, the heart sometimes fails to pump enough blood into other parts of the body, causing conditions such as cardiogenic and hypovolemic shock.

CONTENTS

1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Cardiogenic Shock
3. What is Hypovolemic Shock
4. Similarities – Cardiogenic and Hypovolemic Shock
5. Cardiogenic vs Hypovolemic Shock in Tabular Form
6. Summary – Cardiogenic vs Hypovolemic Shock

What is Cardiogenic Shock?

Cardiogenic shock is a condition that arises due to impairment of the myocardial performance, resulting in diminished cardiac output. This causes end-organ hypoperfusion and hypoxia. This condition occurs most often due to severe heart attacks. Usually, during a heart attack, the main pumping chamber (left ventricle) becomes damaged due to the lack of oxygen to the heart. Heart muscles become weak due to the flowing of oxygen-poor blood into the heart, especially to the left ventricle area. As a result, cardiogenic shock is caused. In rare conditions, damage to the right ventricle of the heart (which sends blood to the lungs to get oxygen) can also cause cardiogenic shock.

Symptoms of cardiogenic shock include rapid breathing, severe shortness of breath, rapid heartbeat, weak pulse, low blood pressure, sweating, pale skin, cold hands and feet, and urinating less than normal. Older females who have a history of heart attack and suffer from diabetes have more risk of developing this condition. Cardiogenic shock can be detected through blood pressure measurement, electrocardiogram, chest x-ray, blood test, echocardiogram, and cardiac catheterization. The treatments may include medications such as vasopressors, inotropic agents, aspirin, and antiplatelet medication.

Other procedures that improve blood flow include angioplasty and stenting, balloon pump, extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. If medications and other procedures won’t work, doctors may go for surgeries such as coronary artery bypass surgery, surgery to repair injury to the heart, ventricular assist device (VAD), or heart transplant.

What is Hypovolemic Shock?

Hypovolemic shock arises due to severe blood or body fluid loss, which makes the heart unable to pump enough blood into other parts of the body. This type of shock can cause many organs to stop working. Hypovolemic shock is caused due to losing about one-fifth or more of the normal amount of blood in the body. Bleeding may occur due to cuts, injuries, or internal bleeding. Sometimes, losing body fluids due to burns, diarrhea, excessive perspiration, and vomiting may also cause hypovolemic shock.

Symptoms may include anxiety, clammy skin, confusion, no urine output, generalized weakness, pale skin, rapid breathing, sweating, and moist skin. The diagnosis can be made through X-ray, ultrasound, CT scan, blood and urine tests, echocardiogram, and electrocardiogram. Moreover, treatments for this medical condition may include blood plasma transfusion, platelet transfusion, red blood cell transfusion, and intravenous crystalloids.

What are the Similarities Between Cardiogenic and Hypovolemic Shock?

• Cardiogenic and hypovolemic shock are two types of shock that occur due to not pumping enough blood into other parts of the body.
• Both conditions can cause end-organ hypoperfusion.
• These conditions can cause weakness in the body.
• They are life-threatening if not treated.

What is the Difference Between Cardiogenic and Hypovolemic Shock?

Cardiogenic shock is a condition that arises due to impairment of the myocardial performance, making the heart unable to pump enough blood into other parts of the body, while hypovolemic shock is a condition that arises due to severe blood or body fluid loss, making the heart unable to pump enough blood into other parts of the body. Thus, this is the key difference between cardiogenic and hypovolemic shock. Furthermore, the relative incidence of cardiogenic shock is 13 %, while the relative incidence of hypovolemic shock is 27 %.

The below infographic presents the differences between cardiogenic and hypovolemic shock in tabular form for side by side comparison.

Summary – Cardiogenic vs Hypovolemic Shock

Cardiogenic and hypovolemic shock are two types of shock caused due to not pumping enough blood into other parts of the body. Both conditions may cause life-threatening end-organ hypoperfusion and damage. Cardiogenic shock arises due to impairment of the myocardial performance, which makes the heart unable to pump enough blood into other parts of the body. On the other hand, hypovolemic shock arises due to severe blood or body fluid loss, which makes the heart unable to pump enough blood into other parts of the body. So, this is the key difference between cardiogenic and hypovolemic shock.

Reference:

1. “Cardiogenic Shock: Symptoms, Causes, Treatments.” Cleveland Clinic.
2. Nall, Rachel. “Hypovolemic Shock: Causes, Symptoms & Diagnosis.” Healthline, Healthline Media, 17 Sept. 2018.

Image Courtesy:

1. “170225 CVS Shock types Pathophysiology of Disease” By Doyouseewhy7 – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “170225 CVS Hypovolemic Shock Pathophysiology of Disease” By Doyouseewhy7 – Own work (CC BY-SA 4.0) via Commons Wikimedia