ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a case study of a 70-year-old woman who is referred by her General Practitioner to the Emergency Department with a 3-day history of dysuria and urinary frequency. The patient exhibits several of the cardinal symptoms and signs of sepsis. This is a syndrome arising from a dysregulated inflammatory response to infection, most likely a urinary tract infection and which has the potential to lead to organ dysfunction. Sepsis is an extremely important condition to recognise as it is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Broad-spectrum antibiotics should be used in all septic patients until cultures allow tailoring of the anti-microbial regime, and a regimen such as vancomycin and piperacillin-tazobactam would be appropriate to ensure coverage of Gram positive and negative organisms, though each hospital may have its own guidelines. Additional investigations that should be performed include checking the full blood count and renal function, cultures of other relevant sites and screening for other sources of infection.
