INTRODUCTION
Over 750,000 cases of sepsis occur in the United States annually, a rate of 3 cases per 100,000 population. In comparison, there are 900,000 cases of acute myocardial infarction per year, and 700.000 cases of acute stroke Crude mortality rates of sepsis(29%), AMI(25%), and stroke(23%) are comparable as well. Mortality rates for patients who progress to severe sepsis or septic shock are bleaker still, at 40% and 50% respectively(1). The excess cost attributable to the development of sepsis is $22,100, which translates to an annual national cost of $16.7 billion