Septic shock still remains the one of the leading causes of death in hospital patients. Barely more than 50% of the patients with severe sepsis survive their hospital admission. This unacceptable high mortality can only be reduced if there is INCIDENCE:
Septic shock is an increasingly common problem. The incidence of sepsis is increasing year by year. The reasons for this increase are that the people are living longer and this aged population are the most vulnerable to sepsis. We are using advanced technology to sustain life and there has been a rise in the number of immunocompromised patients due to aggressive cancer therapy and the increased prevalence of HIV. The widespread use of broad spectrum antibiotics has increased the rate of both antibiotic resistance and nosocomial infections.
A prospective, multicentre, observational study, recently conducted to evaluate the epidemiology of Sepsis and other characteristics of Intensive Care Unit patients in European countries (called the SOAP study) was endorsed by the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine [2]. This observational study showed a marked difference in the frequency of sepsis between countries, and higher frequencies of sepsis were mirrored by higher mortality rates. (Fig.1)