Topic module

Shock, Thromboembolism and Perioperative Care

Identify shock physiology, assess venous thromboembolism and manage perioperative risk, medicines and deterioration.

Long-form learning

Concept to Risk to Memory to Check-up

Practise recognising the immediate clinical task, ruling in or out dangerous alternatives, choosing the safest next step and closing the loop.

Core concepts

Concept 1

Shock is inadequate tissue perfusion requiring rapid cause-directed resuscitation and reassessment.

Exam cue: Name the likely shock mechanism and the intervention that changes outcome now.

Concept 2

VTE assessment uses clinical probability to select the correct test or immediate treatment pathway.

Exam cue: Review thrombosis and bleeding risks together.

Risk pitfalls and guardrails

Giving repeated fluid without checking response or cause.

Guardrail: Avoid an option that names a plausible diagnosis but ignores physiology, contraindications, competence, patient priorities or follow-up.

Using a D-dimer outside an appropriate probability pathway.

Guardrail: Avoid an option that names a plausible diagnosis but ignores physiology, contraindications, competence, patient priorities or follow-up.

Memory anchors

What are broad shock mechanisms?

Hypovolaemic, distributive, cardiogenic and obstructive, sometimes mixed.

How is response to resuscitation judged?

Mental state, perfusion, blood pressure, urine output, lactate and cause-specific measures.

What determines a PE pathway?

Clinical probability, haemodynamic stability, contraindications and timely objective testing.

What belongs in perioperative medicine review?

Anticoagulants, diabetes therapy, steroids, renal-risk medicines, allergies and postoperative restart.

What makes postoperative deterioration high risk?

New hypoxia, hypotension, bleeding, sepsis, chest pain, neurological change or reduced urine output.

Checkpoint rule

Do the check-up only after you can summarize each concept in one sentence and identify one dangerous pitfall from memory.

Knowledge Check (after reading)

Short check-up to confirm understanding of this module.

1-2 question checkpoint

A septic patient remains hypotensive after appropriate fluid resuscitation and lactate is rising. What is next?

A patient has shock, wheeze and angioedema after an antibiotic. What is first-line?

Answer all questions to submit.

Next step personalized recommendations

Move forward only after this module is stable.

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