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Signs and symptoms of cardiogenic shock vary depending on how quickly and how low your blood pressure drops. Cardiogenic shock may start with mild symptoms, such as feeling confused or breathing rapidly, or a person may have no symptoms and then suddenly lose consciousness. Cardiogenic shock is a life-threatening emergency. Complications may include organ damage or organ failure.

Currently there are no routine screening tests for cardiogenic shock. The main cause of cardiogenic shock is a heart attack, which is a complication of ischemic heart disease. You can reduce your risk for cardiogenic shock by adopting heart-healthy lifestyle changes to help prevent ischemic heart disease. If you already have ischemic heart disease or another heart condition, follow your doctor’s instructions about taking care of your health, getting regular check-ups, and taking medicines.

You may have an increased risk of cardiogenic shock because of your age, any cardiovascular or other medical conditions you have, medical procedures, your race or ethnicity, and your sex.

Causes of cardiogenic shock include heart attack and other heart problems, problems outside of the heart, and medicines or procedures. A heart attack is the most common cause because it can damage the heart’s structure in different ways. Less often, a problem elsewhere in the body blocks blood flow coming into or out of the heart and leads to cardiogenic shock.

Immunotherapy, including CAR-T cell therapy, and chemotherapy may cause flu-like side effects such as chills, diarrhea, fatigue, and fever. Some people may experience cytokine release syndrome (CRS). Learn what questions to ask your doctor and when to seek urgent medical care.

Immunotherapy, particularly immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy, can trigger an immune response that causes inflammation to organs. Organ-related side effects are listed to help you talk with your doctor and know when to seek urgent medical care.

This page highlights recent research in the treatment of melanoma and other skin cancers, including targeted therapies, immune checkpoint inhibitors, and adoptive cell transfer. Selected NCI-supported programs to address these cancers are also described.

Interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) are a group of more than 200 different disorders that cause scarring in the lungs. Scar tissue in the lungs can make it harder for you to breathe normally.

Sleep problems are a common side effect during cancer treatment. Learn how a polysomnogram can assess sleep problems. Learn about the benefits of managing sleep disorders in men and women with cancer.

Suggested questions to ask your doctor, if you find out you have advanced cancer.