aetiology of acute hypotension
Last reviewed 01/2018
Acute hypotension may be caused by:
- cardiac malfunction:
- arrhythmia
- myocardial infarction
- valvular defects e.g. aortic regurgitation
- cardiac tamponade
- massive pulmonary embolism
- tension pneumothorax
- hypovolaemia:
- blood loss e.g. GI bleed, abdominal aortic aneurysm
- urinary loss
- plasma loss e.g. burns
- third space losses e.g. pancreatitis
- dehydration e.g. diarrhoea, coma, heat exhaustion
- vasodilatation:
- drugs e.g. ACE inhibitors, beta-blockers
- sepsis, especially Gram-negative shock
- heat exhaustion