title: The evaluation and management of cardiogenic shock.
abstract: Cardiogenic shock (CS) continues to be the leading cause of death in patients who present to the hospital with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Mortality in patients with AMI complicated by CS remains extremely high, with 1-month mortality rates ranging from 40% to 60%. Although pump failure is the dominant etiologic feature of CS after AMI, the inflammatory system has been implicated in its pathogenesis. The dominant therapy for treatment of CS is early mechanical revascularization with either percutaneous coronary intervention or coronary artery bypass graft surgery. Supportive measures such as intravenous vasopressors or intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation can complement the benefit of definitive revascularization. Newer therapies are directed at mitigating the inflammatory response or supporting cardiovascular function until either patient recovery or until other destination therapy is available. The strategies in this critical pathway outline the general approach in treating CS after AMI at our institution.
authors.affiliation: University of Vermont College of Medicine, Burlington, Vermont 05401, USA. prospero.gogo@vtmednet.org
authors.forename: Prospero B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Gogo