Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) Intermediate Practice Exam

Hypovolemic shock caused by an atraumatic acute abdomen is usually the result of which of the following?

1. Abnormal fluid shifts from the bloodstream into the body tissues

2. Inadequate cardiac output

3. Excessive blood loss from an injury

4. Severe dehydration from vomiting

The correct answer is: Abnormal fluid shifts from the bloodstream into the body tissues

Hypovolemic shock resulting from an atraumatic acute abdomen is most commonly linked to abnormal fluid shifts from the bloodstream into the body tissues. In such situations, conditions such as peritoneal bleeding or fluid accumulation can occur even in the absence of a traumatic event. This leads to a decrease in circulating blood volume, as fluid moves from the vascular space into the interstitial space due to inflammatory processes or other causes related to the abdominal condition. While inadequate cardiac output can contribute to shock, it is not the primary mechanism in this case. The same applies to excessive blood loss from an injury, which is more typical of traumatic scenarios rather than atraumatic acute abdomen cases. Severe dehydration from vomiting may also cause hypovolemic shock, but it is less common in the context of acute abdominal conditions that do not involve trauma. Thus, the primary factor leading to hypovolemic shock in atraumatic acute abdomen cases is indeed the abnormal fluid shifts affecting vascular volume stability.