Cardiogenic shock is the most common cause of death in patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) in the hospital. The incidence of patients with cardiogenic shock without AMI has been increasing in recent years, even though AMI continues to be the dominant cause. Early diagnosis and rapid guideline-compliant therapy of cardiogenic shock are crucial for the prognosis. Cardiogenic shock has a relatively large heterogeneity and new scores or staging criteria can be helpful in assessing or predicting the prognosis. Intensive medical monitoring of patients and hemodynamic stabilization through the administration of vasopressors and inotropes are part of the basic therapy. However, the most important therapeutic measure in infarction-related cardiogenic shock is an immediate revascularization of the “culprit lesion.” Mechanical circulatory support represents an attractive treatment option in cardiogenic shock, but so far, a clear improvement in prognosis through their use has not been demonstrated. Overall, the evidence for the treatment of cardiogenic shock is limited, and numerous further studies are needed to improve the evidence for many therapies.