Shock and severe bleeding are life-threatening medical emergencies that require rapid assessment and immediate treatment. This emergency care package focuses on the timely recognition and management of patients with major blood loss, haemorrhagic shock, traumatic injuries, and other conditions that can cause circulatory collapse.
The management approach begins with a structured emergency assessment to identify airway, breathing, circulation, neurological status, and other immediate threats. Clinicians assess vital signs and signs of poor circulation while identifying whether bleeding is external, internal, traumatic, gastrointestinal, obstetric, or related to another underlying condition.
For patients with severe external bleeding, prompt bleeding-control measures are initiated. Depending on the clinical situation, this may include direct pressure, appropriate dressings and other bleeding-control techniques. Suspected internal bleeding requires urgent evaluation and escalation because the bleeding source may require imaging, interventional procedures, surgery, or other definitive treatment.
Patients showing signs of haemorrhagic shock or hypovolaemic shock may require rapid resuscitation, intravenous or intraosseous access, blood testing, blood products, fluid therapy, oxygen or respiratory support when clinically indicated, and continuous monitoring. Treatment is tailored to the patient's condition, source of bleeding, severity of blood loss, age, medical history, and response to resuscitation.
The package also emphasizes early involvement of appropriate emergency, trauma, surgical, anaesthesia, critical care, and transfusion teams when required. WHO guidance highlights the importance of organized emergency and trauma care, early recognition of life-threatening conditions, resuscitation, and timely access to definitive treatment.