Welcome to the Level I Trauma Center

Made popular by several television shows, the trauma center has probably become the best known and recognizable division of Emergency Medicine. Trauma centers come in four different varieties (Level I thru Level 4) with Level I being the most technologically sophisticated and highly staffed of the four. For more specific information regarding the criteria a facility must meet in order to qualify as a Level I Trauma Center,

Regardless of the mechanism of trauma sustained by the victim (providing they survive the insult to begin with)the next obstacle to be faced and dealt with is SHOCK. It is in the pre-hospital phase of emergency medical care where this formidable and potentially life threatening condition must be addressed and treated.
We can identify eight different varieties of shock, and though some are less serious than others, they all exhibit very similar signs and syptoms, and in most cases must be treated aggressively if the victim is to survive.
Let's take a look at the eight different types and shock and examine the pathophysiology of each. I will discuss individual treatment for each type later on in this section. Click on the red button after the type of shock to view a brief background explanation.

The eight types of shock are:

1. Cardiogenic Shock
2. Respiratory Shock
3. Anaphylactic Shock
4. Metabolic Shock
5. Psychogenic Shock
6. Septic Shock click here
7. Neurogenic Shock click here
8. Hemorrhagic or Hypovolemic Shock click here