Shock

Abstract

Shock is one of the most frequently diagnosed, yet poorly understood disorders in the pediatric intensive care unit (PICU). Shock is defined by an imbalance between oxygen and substrate delivery versus metabolic demand (oxygen consumption is often used as a surrogate of metabolic demand). The epidemiology, pathophysiology, and management of critically ill children with shock are distinctly different from that in critically ill adults. Early recognition of the features of shock leads to early treatment and better outcomes.