Primary prevention

Early and effective management of any severe disease will prevent progression to shock in many cases. Examples are early recognition and treatment of sepsis, or timely re-perfusion with thrombolysis or angioplasty in myocardial infarction.[1][22]

Early detection of critical illness and deterioration is important to prevent the development of shock. Early warning scores are based on physiological variables such as heart rate and blood pressure, and they can easily be calculated at the bedside by nursing staff or doctors on any patient in whom there is cause for concern. These scores can be helpful in predicting potential deterioration and allow for early intervention. The exact scoring system in use tends to vary between hospitals and between countries: for example, in the UK the most commonly used score is the National Early Warning Score (NEWS2).[1][23][24]​​​​​​​​​

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