Septic shock is best described as which of the following?

• A. Infection-induced distributive shock
• B. Hemorrhagic shock
• C. Cardiogenic failure
• D. Neurogenic dilatation

Answer: (A)

Septic shock is a form of distributive shock caused by infection. In severe infection, inflammatory mediators cause widespread vasodilation and increased capillary permeability, which redistributes blood flow and lowers effective circulating blood volume. This leads to persistent hypotension and tissue hypoperfusion despite fluid administration, often requiring vasopressors. The key idea is that the problem is infection-triggered loss of vascular tone and maldistributed blood flow, not a loss of blood volume, a failing pump, or disrupted autonomic tone from another cause. Hemorrhagic shock is due to large blood loss, cardiogenic shock stems from the heart’s inability to pump effectively, and neurogenic dilatation results from loss of sympathetic vascular tone without infection.