Table 1 Main differences between acute heart failure and cardiogenic shock

Onset

• Days (e.g., acute decompensated heart failure)

• Hours (e.g., acute pulmonary oedema)

• Hours

Blood pressure

• SBP > 90 mmHg

• Life-threatening hypotension with SBP < 90 mmHg or MAP < 60 mmHg

• BP may be initially preserved by compensatory vasoconstriction

Cardiac index (CI)

• CI > 2.2 L/min/m² usually

• Low CI ≤ 2.2 L/min/m²

Hypoperfusion and organ dysfunction

• Sometimes

• Always

Main clinical presentations

• Wet-warm (∼70%)

• Wet-cold (∼20%)

• Wet-cold (∼65%)

• Dry-cold (∼30%)

Need for vasopressors/inotropes to achieve and maintain a target SBP > 90 mmHg or MAP ≥ 65 mmHg

• No

• Yes

Arterial lactate

• < 2 mmol/L usually

•  ≥ 2 mmol/L

pH level

• Normal pH usually

• Metabolic acidosis

Consider temporary MCS

• Rarely (e.g., “protected PCI” with Impella)

• Sometimes