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Multiple Choice

Which statement about the washout phase of shock is accurate?

During the washout phase, tissues that were poorly perfused dump accumulated metabolic byproducts into the bloodstream as perfusion improves. Those metabolites, especially lactic acid, cause systemic metabolic acidosis, affecting the whole body rather than just a local area. Localized tissue acidosis would indicate ongoing ischemia in one spot, edema is a separate consequence of capillary leak, and reduced capillary blood flow describes the earlier ischemic phase rather than the washout period when flow is returning.

During the washout phase, tissues that were poorly perfused dump accumulated metabolic byproducts into the bloodstream as perfusion improves. Those metabolites, especially lactic acid, cause systemic metabolic acidosis, affecting the whole body rather than just a local area. Localized tissue acidosis would indicate ongoing ischemia in one spot, edema is a separate consequence of capillary leak, and reduced capillary blood flow describes the earlier ischemic phase rather than the washout period when flow is returning.