FOCUS on Cardiogenic Shock and Acute Mechanical Circulatory Support

FOCUS on Cardiogenic Shock and Acute Mechanical Circulatory Support

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Cardiogenic shock is a life-threatening condition that demands early recognition and timely intervention. Despite advances in acute cardiovascular care, cardiogenic shock remains associated with high mortality, so structured diagnostic and therapeutic strategies are needed.

This month’s ESC FOCUS provides resources on how to recognise the early signs of cardiogenic shock and how to guide treatment with the latest ESC Guidelines. You will also get guidance on the optimal use of acute mechanical circulatory support (MCS) and the implementation of shock care teams.

This FOCUS brings together cutting-edge guidance and expert insights, to help clinicians integrate new evidence and best practices into everyday care to improve patient outcomes in cardiogenic shock.

The content below was selected by Ronen Beeri, Maria Generosa Crespo Leiro, Mattia Arrigo, and Jordi Bañeras Rius.

Webinars

Introduction to the importance of guideline adherence in the management of cardiogenic shock and the use of acute mechanical circulatory support (AMCS)
21 March 2025
With Jose Gonzalez-Costello, Benedikt Schrage and Susanna Price

Transforming cardiogenic shock management: groundbreaking evidence and innovations in acute mechanical circulatory support
25 March 2025
With Marina Laura Grazia Pieri, Marcus Sandri and Federico Pappalardo

Essentials

: ESC Guidelines

2023 Focused Update of the 2021 ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic heart failure

Mechanical circulatory support is of benefit in cardiogenic shock: pro

Mechanical circulatory support is of benefit in cardiogenic shock: con

Mechanical support devices in STEMI and shock: when and in whom?

: Key supporting evidence

Mechanical circulatory support: when, how, and for whom

Microaxial flow pump or standard care in infarct-related cardiogenic shock: the DanGer shock trial

Microaxial Flow Pump or Standard Care in Infarct-Related Cardiogenic Shock

Diagnosis and treatment of right ventricular failure secondary to acutely increased right ventricular afterload

Extracorporeal Life Support in Infarct-Related Cardiogenic Shock

Joint EAPCI/ACVC expert consensus document on percutaneous ventricular assist devices

: Relevant textbook chapters

Positive inotropes

Acute heart failure: immediate management/stabilization

Low cardiac output states and cardiogenic shock

Non-pharmacological therapy of acute heart failure: when drugs alone are not enough

Dig deeper

Exclusive for members

Machine-learning based scoring system to predict cardiogenic shock in acute coronary syndrome

Death and Neurological Outcome in Patients Delivered to a Cardiac Arrest Centre: Pre-specified secondary analyses of the ARREST Trial

How to manage heart failure when kidney function worsens

How to personalise vaso-active drugs in the patient on mechanical circulatory support

How to personalise antithrombotic treatment in the patient on mechanical circulatory support

Maximising imaging modalities to personalise management of the patient on mechanical circulatory support

Management of Takotsubo cardiomyopathy with haemodynamic instability or incessant arrhythmias

Treatment of acute, uncomplicated Takotsubo cardiomyopathy: if, what, and for how long?

Contemporary definition of heart failure-related cardiogenic shock

Heart failure-related cardiogenic shock: impact of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) on survival

Heart failure-related cardiogenic shock: impact of percutaneous left ventricular unloading

Hot off the press: heart failure-related cardiogenic shock - discussion

Short-term mechanical support systems: promising and already widely used

All cardiac arrest patients should be transferred to a cardiac arrest centre: pro

All cardiac arrest patients should be transferred to a cardiac arrest centre: con

All cardiac arrest patients should be transferred to a cardiac arrest centre - discussion

Patients with cardiac arrest should be excluded from cardiogenic shock trials: pro

Patients with cardiac arrest should be excluded from cardiogenic shock trials: con

Patients with cardiac arrest should be excluded from cardiogenic shock trials - discussion

Temporary mechanical circulatory support as a bridge to transplant: what have we learned from the ASIS-TC registry?

A shock in the treatment of cardiogenic shock?

Mechanical circulatory support in electrical storm

Haemodynamic monitoring in cardiogenic shock

Mechanical circulatory support - State of the Art

Temporary mechanical circulatory support in infarct-related cardiogenic shock - An individual patient data meta-analysis of all randomized trials with 6-month follow-up

Extracorporeal life support for acute myocardial infarction complicated by cardiogenic shock - 12 months results of the ECLS-SHOCK trial

Invasive and non-invasive cardiac management after cardiac arrest

Cardiogenic shock complicating acute myocardial infarction - current evidence and future strategies

ESC Andreas Grüntzig Lecture in Interventional Cardiology - Q&A

2023 ESC Guidelines on Acute Coronary Syndromes

Monitoring of the kidneys, liver and other vital organs

Acute kidney injury

2021 - ESC Guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute and chronic heart failure

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