Abstract
Severe sepsis is a medical emergency affecting up to 18 million individuals world wide, with an annual incidence of 750,000 in North America alone. Mortality ranges between 28-50% of those individuals stricken by severe sepsis. Sepsis is a time critical illness, requiring early identification and prompt intervention in order to improve outcomes. This observation has led to increased awareness and education in the field of Emergency Medicine; it has also led to the implementation of critical interventions early in the course of patient management, specifically Early-Goal Directed Therapy, and rapid administration of appropriate antimicrobials. This review begins with a brief summary of the pathophysiology of sepsis, and then addresses the fundamental clinical aspects of ED identification and resuscitation of the septic patient.
MeSH terms
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Adult
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Anti-Bacterial Agents / administration & dosage
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Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use
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Cardiotonic Agents / administration & dosage
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Cardiotonic Agents / therapeutic use
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Combined Modality Therapy / methods
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Emergency Service, Hospital / organization & administration
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Emergency Service, Hospital / standards*
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Fluid Therapy / methods
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Fluid Therapy / standards
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Hemodynamics / drug effects
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Hemodynamics / physiology
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Humans
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Practice Guidelines as Topic
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Sepsis / diagnosis*
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Sepsis / physiopathology
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Sepsis / therapy*
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Severity of Illness Index
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Shock, Septic / diagnosis
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Shock, Septic / physiopathology
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Shock, Septic / therapy
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Survival Rate / trends
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Time Factors
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Triage / methods
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Triage / standards
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Vasoconstrictor Agents / administration & dosage
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Vasoconstrictor Agents / therapeutic use
Substances
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Anti-Bacterial Agents
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Cardiotonic Agents
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Vasoconstrictor Agents