Hypovolemic shock caused by severe burns is the result of a loss of:

Hypovolemic shock caused by severe burns is the result of a loss of:

• A. Platelets
• B. Serum
• C. White blood cells
• D. Plasma

Answer: (D)

In severe burns the main problem causing hypovolemic shock is the loss of plasma from the intravascular space. Burned tissue and damaged capillaries become highly permeable, allowing plasma and its proteins to leak into the interstitial space. This rapid shift reduces the circulating blood volume, decreases venous return to the heart, and lowers cardiac output, all of which drive the shock state. Losing plasma also decreases oncotic pressure, which worsens edema and fluid leakage. Platelets are involved in clotting, not the volume loss that drives shock. Serum is the fluid left after clotting factors are removed, but the critical issue in burn shock is the loss of plasma—the fluid portion that contains proteins and clotting factors—through capillary leakage, not the remaining serum. White blood cells aren’t the direct cause of the volume deficit.

In severe burns the main problem causing hypovolemic shock is the loss of plasma from the intravascular space. Burned tissue and damaged capillaries become highly permeable, allowing plasma and its proteins to leak into the interstitial space. This rapid shift reduces the circulating blood volume, decreases venous return to the heart, and lowers cardiac output, all of which drive the shock state. Losing plasma also decreases oncotic pressure, which worsens edema and fluid leakage.

Platelets are involved in clotting, not the volume loss that drives shock. Serum is the fluid left after clotting factors are removed, but the critical issue in burn shock is the loss of plasma—the fluid portion that contains proteins and clotting factors—through capillary leakage, not the remaining serum. White blood cells aren’t the direct cause of the volume deficit.