Abstract
Severe sepsis is a common occurrence in critically ill patients and a major cause of morbidity and mortality in this population. Management relies on the early identification and treatment of the underlying causative infection, adequate and rapid hemodynamic resuscitation, support of associated organ failure and modulation of the immune response with drotrecogin alfa (activated) when it is not contraindicated, and corticosteroids in severe septic shock. We will review current approaches to each of these categories.
MeSH terms
-
Acute Kidney Injury / diagnosis
-
Acute Kidney Injury / etiology
-
Acute Kidney Injury / microbiology
-
Acute Kidney Injury / prevention & control
-
Acute Kidney Injury / rehabilitation
-
Acute Kidney Injury / therapy*
-
Adrenal Cortex Hormones / administration & dosage
-
Adrenal Cortex Hormones / therapeutic use
-
Adult
-
Anti-Bacterial Agents / administration & dosage
-
Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
-
Critical Illness
-
Fluid Therapy / methods
-
Gram-Negative Bacteria / drug effects*
-
Gram-Negative Bacteria / growth & development
-
Gram-Positive Bacteria / drug effects*
-
Gram-Positive Bacteria / growth & development
-
Humans
-
Immunologic Factors / administration & dosage
-
Immunologic Factors / therapeutic use
-
Protein C / administration & dosage
-
Protein C / therapeutic use
-
Recombinant Proteins / administration & dosage
-
Recombinant Proteins / therapeutic use
-
Resuscitation / methods*
-
Sepsis* / complications
-
Sepsis* / diagnosis
-
Sepsis* / microbiology
-
Sepsis* / rehabilitation
-
Sepsis* / therapy
-
Vasopressins / administration & dosage
-
Vasopressins / therapeutic use
Substances
-
Adrenal Cortex Hormones
-
Anti-Bacterial Agents
-
Immunologic Factors
-
Protein C
-
Recombinant Proteins
-
Vasopressins
-
drotrecogin alfa activated