[Therapeutic options in cardiogenic shock]

Cardiogenic shock continues to be a clinical situation which is related with high mortality. Although its etiology is varied, the most frequent cause is an acute myocardial infarction. The poor prognosis of cardiogenic shock can be favourably modified with the diagnosis of the underlying cause followed by the stabilization of the patient and early revascularization. Early treatment with inotropic or vasopressor drugs improves the condition of most patients and the use of circulatory assistance, such as the intraaortic balloon, lead to an acceptable hemodynamic situation in 80% of cases. However, they do not significantly modify the mortality rates. In addition, thrombolytic therapy does not appear to be effective for this kind of patients. Only revascularization methods have proved to be effective; surgery is the only option where ventricular septal, free wall, or papillary muscle rupture occurs, resulting in survival rates of between 50 and 60% with coronary artery by-pass surgery. Angioplasty is frequently successful in reperfusion of the infarct-related artery; the survival rate in these cases is approximately 70%, according to the different series published. As the mortality rate is exceedingly high (70-90%) when conventional therapy is used; when appropriate diagnostic and therapeutic means are available and when the patient's condition is recoverable, the attitude should be aggressive and coronary angiography and angioplasty applied as soon as possible. In centers where these means are not available, once measures have been taken to achieve the stabilization of the patient, the most suitable procedure is to transfer him or her to a hospital in which qualified staff and such treatment methods are available.