Acute Circulatory Failure Secondary to Myocardial Infarction

Abstract

Shock occurring during the course of acute myocardial infarction is sometimes reversible by relatively simple means, such as expansion of the circulating blood volume. True cardiogenic shock is quite another matter. Basically the outcome hinges on how much functioning myocardium remains and on how much the attending physician knows about the syndrome. In many coronary care units, clinical vigilance must make up for suboptimal equipment.