Septic shock

Disease	Injury	Nutrition	Poison

Special Topic	Surgery	Symptoms	Test

Septic shock

Alternative Names:

Bacteremic shock; Endotoxic shock; Septicemic shock; Warm shock

Treatment:

Septic shock is a medical emergency, and patients are usually admitted to intensive care.

The objective of treatment is to:

Provide oxygen, and treat respiratory distress if present
Administer intravenous fluids to restore blood volume, and vasoactive drugs to treat low blood pressure
Treat underlying infections with antibiotics
Support any poorly functioning organs

Hemodynamic monitoring, to evaluate the pressures in the heart and lungs in treatment of shock, may be required. This can only be done with specialized equipment and intensive care nursing.

Expectations (prognosis):

Septic shock has a high death rate, exceeding 50%, depending on the type of organism causing the infection and the degree of organ failure.

Complications:

Respiratory failure, cardiac failure, or any other organ failure can occur.

Calling your health care provider:

Go to the emergency room if symptoms of septic shock are present. You may need to call an ambulance if you have no means of transportation, or if you feel like you are unable to drive.

Review Date: 1/25/2002
Reviewed By: David A. Kaufman, M.D., Pulmonary & Critical Care Medicine, University of Pennsylvania Medical Center, Philadelphia, PA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.

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