title: Clinical sepsis and septic shock--definition, diagnosis and management principles.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Sepsis remains a common problem in critically ill patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Considerable advances have been made in our understanding of the pathophysiology of sepsis and recent years have seen a surge of potential new therapeutic agents for sepsis. Definitions have been rethought and strategies proposed to better characterise patients with sepsis as the importance of individually targeted treatment packages has been realised. Current management aims to control infection, to achieve haemodynamic stabilisation, to modulate the immune response and to provide metabolic and organ support. As new therapies are introduced, treatment recommendations will need to be adapted accordingly.
authors.affiliation: Department of Intensive Care, Erasme University Hospital, Université libre de Bruxelles, Brussels, Belgium. jlvincen@ulb.ac.be
authors.forename: Jean-Louis
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Vincent
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D001431:Bacteriological Techniques; D015415:Biomarkers / Q000097:blood; D001786:Blood Glucose / Q000378:metabolism; D001803:Blood Transfusion; D016638:Critical Illness; D005440:Fluid Therapy; D006439:Hemodynamics / Q000502:physiology; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D006854:Hydrocortisone / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007155:Immunologic Factors / Q000627:therapeutic use; D018836:Inflammation Mediators / Q000097:blood; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D010100:Oxygen / Q000097:blood; D011379:Prognosis; D011486:Protein C / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011994:Recombinant Proteins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012151:Resuscitation / Q000379:methods; D018805:Sepsis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy*; D012772:Shock, Septic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000276:immunology / Q000401:mortality / Q000628:therapy; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D014667:Vasopressins / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000627:therapeutic use
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents; D015415:Biomarkers; D001786:Blood Glucose; D007155:Immunologic Factors; D018836:Inflammation Mediators; D011486:Protein C; D011994:Recombinant Proteins; D014662:Vasoconstrictor Agents; D014667:Vasopressins; C421124:drotrecogin alfa activated; D010100:Oxygen; D006854:Hydrocortisone