New ESC Cardiogenic Shock Criteria — 2026
New ESC Cardiogenic Shock Criteria — 2026
• BP alone is not enough to diagnose cardiogenic shock.
• Diagnosis requires all 3:
1. Cardiac dysfunction
2. Hemodynamic abnormality
3. End-organ hypoperfusion
• Normal BP does not exclude shock → normotensive cardiogenic shock is recognized.
• Elevated filling pressure is not mandatory → euvolemic shock can occur.
• SCAI staging: grades severity after cardiogenic shock is diagnosed.
• Key message: Think perfusion, not pressure alone.
Source: ESC Clinical Consensus Statement, EHJ–Acute Cardiovascular Care, ESC2026.
Medscape: October 5, 2026.
https://esc365.escardio.org/journal/94505