Which of the following types of shock is caused by emotional upset leading to bradycardia and hypotension?

Psychogenic shock is specifically triggered by extreme emotional distress, such as fear, anxiety, or trauma. This emotional upset can lead to a sudden drop in heart rate (bradycardia) and a decrease in blood pressure (hypotension). The key factor in psychogenic shock is the body's response to emotional stimuli, which can inhibit normal neurological function, causing vasodilation and reduced perfusion to vital organs.

This type of shock often results in fainting or syncope, as the body temporarily cannot maintain adequate blood flow due to the psychological trigger. Understanding this connection between emotional states and physiological responses is crucial for recognizing and appropriately responding to psychogenic shock in a prehospital setting.

Other types of shock, such as cardiogenic, distributive, or hypovolemic, are caused by different mechanisms not primarily related to emotional triggers. Cardiogenic shock is due to heart failure, distributive shock involves issues with blood vessel tone (often due to infection or severe allergic reactions), and hypovolemic shock is caused by loss of blood volume. Each of these has distinct causes and pathways, differentiating them from the emotional origins of psychogenic shock.