In Critical Care, distributive shock is a severe medical condition characterized by widespread vasodilation, leading to a drastic reduction in systemic vascular resistance. This profound vasodilation results in inadequate tissue perfusion, despite often normal or even elevated cardiac output, as blood pools peripherally rather than returning effectively to the heart. Common causes include sepsis (septic shock), anaphylaxis, neurogenic injury, and adrenal crisis. Recognizing the clinical signs—warm extremities, bounding pulses, and low diastolic blood pressure—is crucial for timely intervention.
Ultrasound plays a vital role in diagnosing and managing distributive shock by assessing cardiac function, fluid status (e.g., IVC collapsibility), and ruling out other causes of shock. Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) can rapidly identify underlying etiologies, guide fluid resuscitation, and evaluate treatment effectiveness, making it an indispensable tool in critical care settings for optimizing patient outcomes in distributive shock.
