SBA — Single Best Answer · Review
Question 390
Pathology → General
Classification
Question
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Two patients develop shock. Patient X has major acute blood loss. Patient Y has an acute fall in cardiac output due to pump failure but no actual reduction in circulating blood volume. Which classification is correct?
Question Stem
Select the single best answer.
Options
A
X cardiogenic; Y hypovolaemic
B
X septic; Y hypovolaemic
C
X hypovolaemic; Y cardiogenic
D
X cardiogenic; Y septic
E
X septic; Y cardiogenic
Explanation
Hypovolaemic shock follows loss of blood or plasma and produces reduced venous return, blood pressure and tissue perfusion. Cardiogenic shock results from an acute fall in cardiac output caused by pump failure without an actual reduction in circulating blood volume.
Option Validity
A) The classifications are reversed; acute blood loss produces hypovolaemic shock, whereas pump failure with normovolaemia produces cardiogenic shock.
B) Major blood loss is not septic shock, and normovolaemic pump failure is not hypovolaemic shock.
D) Blood loss is hypovolaemic rather than cardiogenic, while the second patient has cardiogenic rather than septic shock.
E) Neither acute blood loss nor isolated normovolaemic pump failure represents the pairing stated.
Further Reading
Saxena R. Textbook for MRCOG-1. Chapter 5: Pathology. General Pathology, pp.161–175.