“Shock” is currently defined as a state of inadequate perfusion and oxygenation of the body's
organs. This definition should probably be expanded to include “… and/or a cellular failure
to utilize oxygen,” as it is becoming increasingly apparent that the multiple organ dysfunction
underlying severe sepsis and other extreme cardiorespiratory pathophysiologies also
involves cellular respiration directly. The ensuing metabolic failure represents an inability of
the cell to perform normal processes such as protein synthesis, DNA repair, and membrane …