Sepsis: Pathophysiology, Practical Management, and Surviving Sepsis Guidelines

Sepsis is not an infection itself. It is the body's unregulated response to one. When a pathogen enters the body and the immune system cannot contain it, a cascade of inflammatory signals overhwelm the body. What begins as a protective mechanism spirals into a state of systemic dysfunction: blood vessels leak, blood pressure collapses, and organs begin to fail in sequence. Left untreated, this progression can be fatal within hours. Because of this, sepsis is a medical emergency.

Every year, throughout the world, Sepsis causes about 1 in 5 deaths. Yet few conditions are as misunderstood or as difficult to recognize in the critical window when treatment can still make a difference. Because of its impact and prevalence around the world, there are several guidelines that have been re-published and evolved over time. This literature and the current practice guidelines are discussed in this lecture.

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