The use of the shock index (systolic blood pressure/heart rate) value under 0.9 has been shown to be effective in predicting the need for mass blood transfusion as well as mortality for trauma patients age 16-64. Using age times shock index has been shown to be an effective marker of mortality and the need for transfer/transport to a trauma center in those over age 65. The change in shock index over time is also useful for pre-hospital providers deciding the appropriate destination for traumatically injured individuals.
References
Pandit, Viraj MD et al. Shock index predicts mortality in geriatric trauma patients An analysis of the National Trauma Data Bank Journal of Trauma and Acute Care Surgery: April 2014 - Volume 76 - Issue 4 - p 1111-1115
Randall W. King MD et al. Shock Index as a Marker for Significant Injury in Trauma Patients Academic Emergency Medicine Volume 3, Issue 11November 1996 Pages 1041-1045
