Final answer:
Hypovolemic shock causes a rapid heart rate and hypotension due to a significant decrease in blood volume, which can lead to insufficient oxygen and nutrient delivery to tissues, potentially resulting in hypoxia.
Step-by-step explanation:
Hypovolemic shock is a type of circulatory shock caused by an excessive loss of blood volume, which could be due to hemorrhage, dehydration, or other conditions that lower blood volume. This results in inadequate tissue perfusion, which can manifest as various symptoms related to organ system dysfunction due to insufficient oxygen and nutrient delivery.
In answering the student's question, hypovolemic shock typically causes a rapid, tachycardia-like heart rate contrary to bradycardia. Vasodilation is not the primary response; instead, the body attempts to constrict blood vessels to maintain blood pressure. Among the options given, hypotension (c) is the direct result of the decrease in circulating blood volume. When there is not enough blood circulating, blood pressure drops, making it difficult for the heart to deliver oxygen and nutrients to tissues, potentially leading to hypoxia (d) if not corrected in time.