title: Sepsis strategies: an ICU package?
abstract: --Mortality of patients with severe sepsis remains at unacceptable levels and recent new strategies are not being widely embraced. --Five strategies are discussed within this article [low tidal volumes in acute lung injury/acute respiratory distress syndrome, early goal-directed therapy, drotrecogin alfa (activated), moderate dose corticosteroids and tight control of blood glucose]. --The critical care nurse plays a leading role in the detection, monitoring and treatment of patients with severe sepsis. --The role of the critical care nurse within the multidisciplinary team is explored. --Education, combination of strategies and the use of protocols are discussed.
authors.affiliation: ITU, Colchester General Hospital, Colchester. Alison.Ruffell@essexrivers.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Alison J
authors.initials: AJ
authors.lastname: Ruffell
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D019985:Benchmarking; D003422:Critical Care / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D006040:Goals; D006801:Humans; D006943:Hyperglycemia / Q000378:metabolism / Q000382:microbiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing; D024802:Nurse's Role; D010347:Patient Care Planning / Q000458:organization & administration; D010348:Patient Care Team / Q000458:organization & administration; D011486:Protein C / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012121:Respiration, Artificial / Q000379:methods / Q000451:nursing; D018805:Sepsis / Q000150:complications / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D013990:Tidal Volume
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D000893:Anti-Inflammatory Agents; D005343:Fibrinolytic Agents; D011486:Protein C; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; C421124:drotrecogin alfa activated