Pathophysiology

Pathophysiology

II-23. Progression of circulatory shock

循環性ショックの進行

Progression of Circulatory Shock

  • Transition compensated → progressive → irreversible is driven by positive-feedback vicious cycles and metabolic derangement

Exhaustion of Negative Feedback (entry to progressive stage)

  • ↓renal medullary osmotic gradient (↓urine concentration)
  • ADH depletion, catecholamine depletion + adrenoceptor desensitization
  • Vasodilator mediators, metabolites and toxins from tissues
  • Auto-infusion failure (reduced vessel resistance, ↑capillary hydrostatic pressure, ↓colloid osmotic pressure)

Positive-Feedback Vicious Cycles

  1. ↓coronary perfusion → ↓CO → ↓arterial pressure → further ↓coronary flow
  2. ↓brain perfusion → compromised SYM outflow from the vasomotor center
  3. Tissue hypoxia → vasodilator mediators/toxins from damaged cells → venous pooling (blood not returned to circulation)
  4. Vessel-wall hypoxia → no ATP → vasodilation, with ↑permeability → edema + electrolyte loss → ↓blood volume/venous return

Metabolic Changes

  • Metabolic acidosis: tissue hypoxia → lactic acid (anaerobic metabolism), and tissue hypercapnia → carbonic acid (insufficient CO₂ removal)
  • Mitochondrial depression: ↓ATP → ↓Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase → cell swelling → lysosome destabilization → cell necrosis

Irreversibility

  • Dominance of positive feedback (“vicious circles”) → death despite external interventionMOF/MODS
  • The CNS ischemic (Cushing) response at ~50 mmHg gives a transient BP plateau but cannot reverse the decline
  • Using BP alone is misleading (falls later than CO) — monitor additional perfusion parameters

一問一答

How does tissue hypoxia cause venous pooling in progressive shock?

Hypoxia releases vasodilator mediators/toxins from damaged cells, causing venous pooling so blood is not returned to the circulation.

How does reduced brain perfusion worsen shock?

It compromises sympathetic outflow from the vasomotor center, further reducing vascular tone and CO.

What drives the transition from compensated to progressive to irreversible shock?

Positive-feedback vicious cycles and metabolic derangement.

Describe the coronary vicious cycle in progressive shock.

↓Coronary perfusion → ↓CO → ↓arterial pressure → further ↓coronary flow.

What signs of negative-feedback exhaustion mark entry to the progressive stage?

Decreased renal medullary osmotic gradient, ADH and catecholamine depletion with adrenoceptor desensitization, vasodilator mediators/toxins from tissues, and auto-infusion failure.

How does vessel-wall hypoxia reduce blood volume?

No ATP → vasodilation with increased permeability → edema + electrolyte loss → ↓blood volume and venous return.

What are the two sources of metabolic acidosis in progressive shock?

Tissue hypoxia → lactic acid (anaerobic metabolism), and tissue hypercapnia → carbonic acid (insufficient CO₂ removal).

How does mitochondrial depression lead to cell necrosis in shock?

↓ATP → ↓Na⁺/K⁺ ATPase → cell swelling → lysosome destabilization → cell necrosis.

What characterizes the irreversible stage of circulatory shock?

Dominance of positive-feedback vicious circles → death despite external intervention → MOF/MODS.

Why can the CNS ischemic (Cushing) response not reverse shock decline?

At ~50 mmHg it produces only a transient BP plateau and cannot overcome the dominant positive-feedback cycles.

Why is blood pressure alone misleading when monitoring shock progression?

BP falls later than CO, so additional perfusion parameters must be monitored.

Why does auto-infusion fail as shock progresses?

Reduced vessel resistance, increased capillary hydrostatic pressure, and decreased colloid osmotic pressure prevent interstitial fluid from entering the vasculature.

What is the consequence of ADH and catecholamine depletion in progressive shock?

Loss of vasoconstrictor and water-retaining support, so BP and volume can no longer be maintained.

Why does a falling renal medullary osmotic gradient worsen progressive shock?

It impairs urine concentration, so less fluid is retained and volume depletion accelerates.

What is the ultimate endpoint of irreversible circulatory shock?

Multiple organ failure / multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MOF/MODS) and death.

Why is the progression of shock considered self-amplifying?

Each vicious cycle (coronary, cerebral, venous pooling, vessel-wall hypoxia) further reduces perfusion, reinforcing the others until decline becomes self-sustaining.

How does lysosome destabilization contribute to cell death in shock?

Cell swelling from ATPase failure destabilizes lysosomes, releasing enzymes that cause cell necrosis.

What role do tissue-derived vasodilator metabolites play in progressive shock?

They cause vasodilation and venous pooling, reducing venous return and reinforcing the fall in CO.

How does increased capillary permeability accelerate progressive shock?

It causes edema and loss of intravascular fluid/electrolytes, lowering blood volume and venous return.

What two broad mechanisms together produce irreversibility in shock?

Hemodynamic positive-feedback vicious cycles and metabolic derangement (acidosis + mitochondrial/ATP failure causing necrosis).