First steps in suspected sepsis

What should be our first steps when we suspect sepsis?

Emilie Belley-Côté, MD: I think the first steps are to send cultures. Cultures from all sites that we can think of as infectious sites. And when in doubt, start patients on antibiotics, and if they seem to be hypotensive, give them fluids. Those are my first steps when I suspect sepsis.

Over time, after 48 hours, if the cultures are negative or if I have an alternative diagnosis, then I will stop antibiotics but have a very low threshold to suspect sepsis.

See also

Fluid resuscitation in the early management of septic shock What are the current guidelines for fluid resuscitation in the early management of patients with septic shock?
Update on the management of septic shock A lecture by Dr Waleed Alhazzani, from McMaster University, Canada, delivered at McMaster International Review Course in Internal Medicine in Kraków in May 2017.
Improving organ donation rates How to improve organ donation rates?
Suspected stroke and high blood pressure in patients transported by EMS A patient with suspected stroke transported by the emergency medical services is expected to have high blood pressure. What is the threshold value that warrants attempts to lower blood pressure by the ambulance crew?
Surviving Sepsis Campaign 2016 guidelines A lecture by Prof. Andrew Rhodes delivered at the conference Challenges and Opportunities in Caring for Critically Ill in Kraków in 2016.

First steps in suspected sepsis

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