In cases of decreased Systemic Vascular Resistance (SVR), which type of shock is likely?

Decreased Systemic Vascular Resistance (SVR) is most commonly associated with distributive shock. This type of shock results from the widespread vasodilation that occurs due to a variety of factors, such as sepsis or anaphylaxis. In these situations, the blood vessels become overly relaxed and lose their ability to constrict effectively, leading to a drop in SVR.

In distributive shock, despite the presence of adequate blood volume, the body is unable to maintain normal blood pressure because there is insufficient vascular tone to support circulation. This can result in inadequate perfusion to vital organs. Understanding that this is fundamentally linked to a loss of vascular resistance helps distinguish it from the other types of shock.

Other types of shock, such as hypovolemic, cardiogenic, and obstructive shock, typically involve mechanisms that either impair the heart's ability to pump effectively or reduce blood volume, rather than causing a significant decrease in vascular resistance. Thus, the presence of decreased SVR as a characteristic feature clearly aligns with distributive shock.