Biomedical Science and Data Science: Key Concepts and Techniques Questions and answers Septic shock - Septic shock is distributive shock caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. Systemic vasodilation drops systemic vascular resistance. Result is low blood pressure that does not correct with fluids alone and needs vasopressors like norepinephrine. Cardiogenic shock - Cardiogenic shock is pump failure with low cardiac output and cold clammy extremities due to poor perfusion. Metabolic acidosis compensation - Primary metabolic acidosis means bicarbonate is low. The body compensates by hyperventilating to drop CO. The goal is to keep pH from falling further. Anion gap - The anion gap separates metabolic acidosis into two classes. High-gap acidosis suggests addition of acid (lactate, ketoacids, toxins). Normal-gap acidosis suggests bicarbonate loss (diarrhea, renal tubular acidosis). V/Q mismatch vs shunt - Both cause hypoxemia. V/Q mismatch improves with extra oxygen because some units still have ventilation. Shunt does not improve with extra oxygen because blood is bypassing the ventilated alveoli. Primary adrenal failure lab pattern - Low cortisol with high ACTH. The adrenal gland cannot respond, so the pituitary keeps driving ACTH up. Primary hypothyroidism lab pattern - Low free T4 with high TSH. The thyroid cannot