Which vital sign change is commonly the first sign of shock?

• A. Hypotension
• B. Tachycardia
• C. Bradycardia
• D. Hyperthermia

Answer: (B)

Early shock triggers the body's compensatory fight‑or‑flight response, so the heart rate increases to maintain cardiac output as perfusion drops. This tachycardia is the first vital sign change you typically see because the body rapidly tries to keep blood moving to vital organs before blood pressure falls. Blood pressure can remain normal in the early, compensated stage due to vasoconstriction and increased heart rate, so hypotension is a later sign. Bradycardia isn’t the usual early response in most shock types, and hyperthermia isn’t a characteristic early sign of shock either. So the quickest, most common first change is an elevated heart rate.