How to Treat Septic Shock

Septic shock is a severe blood infection with inflammation. Severe cases reduce blood flow to the organs and cause multiple organs to fail. Most cases occur in hospitals among patients with suppressed immune systems. It is usually caused by bacilli or cocci, especially staphylococci and meningococci but it may also be caused by fungi on rare occasions. These steps will show how to treat a case of septic shock.

Instructions

• 1

  Realize that aggressive treatment with antibiotics should be started within six hours of a suspected diagnosis. Septic shock is likely to be irreversible and fatal once severe lactic acidosis is established.

• 2

  Move the patient to an intensive care unit especially if there is multi-organ failure and monitor the vital signs.

• 3

  Examine the following example as a regimen for septic shock of unknown origin: gentamicin or tobramycin 5.1 mg/kg intravenously once per day and a third generation cephalosporin (two g cefotaxime every six to eight hours or two g ceftriaxone per day.) two g ceftazidime every eight hours should be used instead of a cephalosporin if Pseudomonas is suspected.

• 4

  Perform other therapies for septic shock including aggressive fluid resuscitation, cooling for hyperthermia, dialysis for kidney failure and supportive care. Sometimes blood glucose levels will be closely controlled and corticosteroids and activated protein C will be administered.

• 5

  Drain abscesses and surgically excise necrotic tissues. The patient's condition will continue to decline despite antibiotics until the source of the infection is eliminated.