First Aid for Shock
How is the injury recognized?
Shock is usually diagnosed by seeing a pattern of change in a person's vital
signs. The vital signs include pulse, blood pressure, and breathing. The
vital sign pattern used to diagnose shock includes:
low blood pressure
weak but rapid heartbeat
rapid, shallow breathing
fever
decreased level of consciousness, such as
confusion or coma
Some blood tests can also help show some of the signs of shock.
It is the complete picture that gives a diagnosis of shock rather than a single
vital sign or lab test.
|
Previous section
