Department of Anesthesiology, College of Medicine, Yonsei University, Seoul, Korea
ABSTRACT
Hemodynamic monitoring is a cornerstone in the care of the critically ill patients in the ICU. The ICU provides a place for monitoring and care of patients with potentially severe physiologic instability requiring advanced artificial life support. Despite advances in supportive therapy, mortality rate in ICU patients with circulatory failure, shock, range from 30-72%. Septic shock is a common cause of the cardiovascular failure with the highest degree of morbidity and mortality. Improving survival seems to be related to early recognition and appropriate therapy. The time of onset of shock may be very important in determining outcome. I will describe the differences in epidemiology, clinical course, management and outcome of shock patients depending on the cause in ICU.