Shock

[bdoss2006]

Does all types of shock cause low etco2 or just septic? If it’s just septic why is that? I know a lot of stuff uses etco2 of <26 for sepsis, but not other types of shock.

 

[NomadicMedic]

Here’s a great article that helps explain it…

The use of end-tidal carbon dioxide monitoring in patients with hypotension in the emergency department

The aim of this study was to determine the usefulness of end tidal carbon dioxide (ETCO[2] ) monitoring in hypotensive shock patients presenting to the ED.This was a prospective observational study in a tertiary ED. One hundred three adults in shock with ...

www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

 

[E tank]

Does all types of shock cause low etco2 or just septic? If it’s just septic why is that? I know a lot of stuff uses etco2 of <26 for sepsis, but not other types of shock.

ETCO2 correlates directly with cardiac output. We use blood pressure as a surrogate for cardiac output, so you can say ETCO2 correlates directly with blood pressure. The less blood going through the lungs, the less CO2 is expired via the mouth and nose. Doesn't matter what the reason for that fall in blood flow thru the lungs is, whether its volume loss due to bleeding, catastrophic fall in heart contractility, loss of vasomotor tone in sepsis or spinal cord injury....whatever. Low blood flow = low ETCO2