ABSTRACT
Definition Sepsis is the systemic inflammatory response to infection and is part of a continuum of injury response, ranging from sepsis to septic shock and multiple organ failure.
Septic shock is diagnosed when there is:
■ clinical evidence of infection (fever, chills, hypothermia, leukocytosis, left shift of neutrophils or neutropenia) and
■ persistent sepsis-induced hypotension (systolic blood pressure <90 mmHg or a reduction of ≥40 mmHg from baseline), despite volume resuscitation (i.e., vasopressor requirement for sepsis-induced hypotension) and
■ evidence of sepsis-related organ hypoperfusion (that may include, but is not limited to lactic acidosis, decreased urine output or altered mental status).
