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Bacteremic shock; Endotoxic shock; Septicemic shock; Warm shock
Septic shock is a medical emergency. Patients are usually admitted to the intensive care unit of the hospital.
Treatment may include:
There are new drugs that act against the extreme inflammatory response seen in septic shock. These may help limit organ damage.
Hemodynamic monitoring -- the evaluation of the pressures in the heart and lungs -- may be required. This can only be done with special equipment and intensive care nursing.
Septic shock has a high death rate. The death rate depends on the patient's age and overall health, the cause of the infection, how many organs have failed, and how quickly and aggressively medical therapy is started.
Respiratory failure, cardiac failure, or any other organ failure can occur. Gangrene may occur, possibly leading to amputation.
Go directly to an emergency department if you develop symptoms of septic shock.
Vincent J, Septic Shock. In: Fink MP, Abraham E, Vincent J, Kochanek PM, eds. Textbook of Critical Care. 5th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2005: chap 147.
Jones AE, Kline JA. Shock. In: Marx, JA, ed. Rosen's Emergency Medicine: Concepts and Clinical Practice. 6th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Mosby Elsevier; 2006: chap 4.
Munford RS. Severe sepsis and septic shock. In: Fauci AS, Harrison TR, eds. Harrison's Principles of Internal Medicine. 17th ed. New York, NY: McGraw Hill; 2008:chap 265.
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