Evidence: Medline references were sought using the MeSH term
“hemorrhagic shock.” All articles published in the disciplines of
obstetrics and gynaecology, surgery, trauma, critical care, anesthesia,
pharmacology, and hemotology between 1 January 1990
and 31 August 2000 were reviewed, as well as core textbooks
from these fields. Selected references from these articles and
book chapters were also obtained and reviewed. The level of
evidence has been determined using the criteria described by
the Canadian Task Force on the Periodic Health Examination.