Final answer:
In septic and anaphylactic shock, the cardiac output can often be high as the heart attempts to compensate for low blood pressure due to inflammation and vasodilation. Treatment usually includes fluid replacement, inotropic or pressor agents, and addressing the causes like infection or allergens.
Step-by-step explanation:
In cases of shock caused by sepsis and anaphylaxis, the cardiac output can differ significantly. However, a common response in these conditions involves a high cardiac output. In septic shock, the body's response to infection can involve the release of inflammatory mediators like tumor necrosis factor, which increases the permeability of blood capillaries, causing fluid to leave the bloodstream and leading to low blood pressure. Despite this drop in blood pressure, the heart may still pump vigorously in an attempt to compensate, resulting in a high cardiac output.
Conversely, in anaphylactic shock, a severe allergic reaction results in the release of histamines and widespread vasodilation, which can also lead to a drop in blood pressure. Again, the heart initially attempts to compensate by pumping more vigorously, hence, a high cardiac output is noted here as well.
Treatments for these types of shock typically involve fluid replacement and medications that work to restore vascular tone (such as inotropic or pressor agents), as well as dealing with the underlying causes – for sepsis, this might involve antibiotics, and for anaphylaxis, antihistamines and possibly epinephrine.