Burn shock

Burn shock occurs in all more severe burns and develops immediately after the injury. A number of factors are involved in the development of burn shock:
 * The dominant one is the impaired permeability of the vascular wall, which results in massive loss of intravascular fluid into the space outside the vasculature,
 * The outward manifestation of this leak is the rapid development of generalized burn edema,
 * The internal manifestation is a reduction in circulating blood volume and a consequent impairment of tissue oxygen supply.

In massive thermal trauma, fluid loss is very rapid, up to 40% of circulating Blood can be lost within the first 30 minutes.

Unlike open injuries with massive bleeding, where the need for urgent help is evident, the necessity for urgent treatment measures is not so obvious in burn injuries. The danger of burn shock is that in the first stage the sufferer may not show signs of shock.
 * The injured person initially communicates normally,
 * Often does not suffer significant pain,
 * Is able to walk independently,
 * Does not give the impression of being seriously injured in a life-threatening situation.

Although the clinical signs of shock do not fully develop until several hours later, the mechanisms of development are initiated immediately. If fluid replacement is not initiated promptly, decompensation occurs and there is a risk of irreversible changes leading to patient death.

Related articles

 * Burns
 * Shock
 * Hypovolemic shock
 * Unconsciousness
 * Sepsis
 * Swelling

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