Which findings are typical of compensatory shock?

• A. Narrow pulse pressure, cool skin, ↓ urine
• B. Warm skin, flushed face
• C. Wide pulse pressure with bounding pulse
• D. Normal skin temperature with tachycardia only

Answer: (A)

In compensated shock, the body activates the sympathetic system to preserve perfusion to vital organs. This causes peripheral vasoconstriction, making the skin cool and clammy, and the heart rate rises to maintain cardiac output. With reduced blood flow to the kidneys, urine production falls. The combination of narrow pulse pressure (a drop in systolic pressure with relatively preserved diastolic pressure due to vasoconstriction), cool skin, and decreased urine output is classic for this early, compensatory stage. The other patterns reflect different hemodynamic states: warm, flushed skin points to vasodilation seen in distributive shock; a wide pulse pressure with bounding pulse suggests increased stroke volume or decreased afterload; tachycardia with normal skin temperature alone does not fit the compensatory profile.