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#AskPracMed – How do we treat for shock?

After controlling the bleed, the most important thing you can do for a trauma casualty is keep them warm. The body loses around 15% of its clotting factors for every degree of temperature drop, which means even in a warm environment, a bleeding casualty is at risk of hypothermia-driven coagulopathy. Remove wet clothing, whether from blood loss or environmental exposure, and insulate the casualty under, over, and around using a hypothermia blanket or similar. A Helios system is one of the best options available. Nobody in hypovolemic shock has ever survived arriving at a surgical team with a critically low core temperature. Warmth is not optional.

Emergency blanket

Emergency Blanket (1 Layer)

Emergency Bivvy Bag

Helios Hypothermia System

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