Sepsis
Updates to Article Attributes
Sepsis is a syndrome, with a poorly understood pathogenesis, characterised clinically by a recognised set of signs and symptoms in someone with presumed infection.
Terminology
Sepsis was defined by The Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock (Sepsis-3) in 2016 as "life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection" 1.
Septic shock forms a subpopulation of the sepsis cohort, manifesting as synchronous severe cardiovascular, cellular and metabolic dysfunctions, linked to an elevated risk of mortality, versus sepsis alone 1.
Establishing the diagnosis of septic shock in adult patients requires that followingdespite satisfactory fluid resuscitation there is:
-
hypotension, necessitating
vasopressorspressors to achieve an average systolic blood pressure ofgreater than or equal to 65≥65 mmHg, coupled with
and
- serum lactate >2 mmol/L
NB The separate condition "severe sepsis" has now been abandoned. "Septicaemia" is generally not felt to be helpful any longer due to it being too narrow in scope.
-<p><strong>Sepsis</strong> is a <a href="/articles/syndrome-definition">syndrome</a>, with a poorly understood pathogenesis, characterised clinically by a recognised set of signs and symptoms in someone with presumed infection.</p><h4>Terminology</h4><p>Sepsis was defined by The Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock (Sepsis-3) in 2016 as "life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection" <sup>1</sup>. </p><p><strong>Septic shock </strong>forms a subpopulation of the sepsis cohort, manifesting as synchronous severe cardiovascular, cellular and metabolic dysfunctions, linked to an elevated risk of mortality, versus sepsis alone <sup>1</sup>.</p><p>Establishing the diagnosis of septic shock in adult patients requires that following satisfactory fluid resuscitation there is:</p><ul>-<li>hypotension, necessitating vasopressors to achieve an average <a title="Blood pressure" href="/articles/blood-pressure">blood pressure</a> of greater than or equal to 65 mmHg, coupled with</li>-<li>serum lactate >2 mmol/L</li>-</ul>- +<p><strong>Sepsis</strong> is a <a href="/articles/syndrome-definition">syndrome</a>, with a poorly understood pathogenesis, characterised clinically by a recognised set of signs and symptoms in someone with presumed <a title="Infection (general)" href="/articles/infection-general">infection</a>.</p><h4>Terminology</h4><p>Sepsis was defined by The Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock (Sepsis-3) in 2016 as "life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection" <sup>1</sup>. </p><p><strong>Septic shock </strong>forms a subpopulation of the sepsis cohort, manifesting as synchronous severe cardiovascular, cellular and metabolic dysfunctions, linked to an elevated risk of mortality, versus sepsis alone <sup>1</sup>.</p><p>Establishing the diagnosis of septic shock in adult patients requires that despite satisfactory fluid resuscitation there is:</p><ul><li>
- +<a title="Systemic hypotension" href="/articles/systemic-hypotension">hypotension</a>, necessitating pressors to achieve an average <a title="Systolic blood pressure" href="/articles/blood-pressure">systolic </a><a href="/articles/blood-pressure">blood pressure</a> of ≥65 mmHg</li></ul><p>and</p><ul><li>
- +<a title="Serum lactate" href="/articles/serum-lactate">serum lactate</a> >2 mmol/L</li></ul><p>NB The separate condition "severe sepsis" has now been abandoned. "Septicaemia" is generally not felt to be helpful any longer due to it being too narrow in scope.</p>
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