Shock Type Quiz
Read the hemodynamic profile and name the shock category — ten profiles per round.
Profile 1 of 10
CVP mmHg
12
PCWP mmHg
23
CO L/min
2.8
SVR
1406
Written by Apex Respiratory Editorial Team
About this quiz
Each round shows the four-number Swan-Ganz profile — CVP and PCWP (preload), cardiac output, and SVR (afterload). Read SVR first: a low SVR with a high output is distributive shock. With a high SVR and low output, a low CVP is hypovolemic, a high CVP with a high wedge is cardiogenic, and a high CVP with a low or normal wedge is obstructive (the right heart can’t fill the left).
Educational use only. Profiles are idealized teaching patterns; real patients — especially with mixed shock or tamponade — can blur these categories, and a pulmonary artery catheter is not used in most shock today. This material supports respiratory therapy education and exam review. It is not medical advice and is not a substitute for clinical judgment, institutional protocols, or physician orders. Always follow facility policies and current provider orders, and verify calculations independently before clinical use.
Sources
- Vincent JL, De Backer D. Circulatory shock. N Engl J Med. 2013;369(18):1726-1734.
- Kacmarek RM, Stoller JK, Heuer AJ. Egan's Fundamentals of Respiratory Care. 12th ed. Elsevier; 2021.