An athlete presents with heart rate 190/min and systolic blood pressure 95 mmHg. What is the shock index?

• A. 1
• B. 2
• C. 0.5
• D. 0

Answer: (B)

The shock index is calculated by dividing heart rate by systolic blood pressure to quickly assess hemodynamic status. Here, 190/min divided by 95 mmHg equals 2.0. Normal values are about 0.5–0.7; values approaching 0.9 suggest shock, and around 1 or higher indicate significant to severe shock. So a shock index of 2.0 points to substantial hemodynamic instability, signaling urgent evaluation and intervention, even in an athlete, since the high heart rate combined with relatively low systolic pressure reflects compromised circulation.