Which condition may obstruct outflow leading to cardiogenic shock?

Enhance your knowledge with the Internal Medicine End of Rotation Exam. Challenge yourself with multiple-choice questions and detailed explanations to ensure you excel.

The condition that can obstruct outflow leading to cardiogenic shock is cardiac tamponade. In cardiac tamponade, fluid accumulates in the pericardial space, exerting pressure on the heart and preventing it from effectively filling and pumping blood. This leads to reduced cardiac output, resulting in cardiogenic shock.

Massive pulmonary embolism does indeed cause cardiac compromise and can lead to shock; however, it primarily creates a blockage in the pulmonary arteries rather than obstructing the outflow from the heart directly. While it can cause right heart failure due to pressure overload, the term "outflow" in the context of cardiogenic shock is more directly related to conditions like cardiac tamponade.

Hypotension, by itself, is a symptom rather than a condition that specifically leads to outflow obstruction. It results from decreased cardiac output or systemic vascular resistance but does not imply a mechanical obstruction.

Arrhythmias can lead to decreased cardiac output and cardiogenic shock as well, but they do not obstruct the outflow directly. Instead, they disrupt the electrical activity of the heart, which may impair its function but does not involve a physical blockage.

In summary, cardiac tamponade is the condition that specifically leads to obstruction of outflow due to pressure on the

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