Dosing in sepsis

Sepsis, which can be life-threatening, is not an infection type in itself but is defined as the body’s systemic immunological response to an infection. Left untreated, it can lead to severe organ dysfunction and death. Patients with sepsis can progress to septic shock with persistently low blood pressure and will require intensive monitoring and treatment due to organ failure. Using the right antimicrobials at the right dose promptly is important as part of successful treatment.

A number of pathophysiological changes can occur in critically ill patients with infections. These can alter the PK and PD properties of aminoglycosides, potentially resulting in a lower Cmax and, thus, reduced efficacy due to the concentration-dependent activity pattern.

Take a few moments to consider the question below. Add your thoughts to the comments section at the bottom of this step.

Once you have thought about your answers, scroll down to the table below, which shows several changes that can occur.

If you require a screen reader-compatible version this is available as a PDF.

After reading through the table above, move on to the next step where you will be provided with a set of questions to answer and discuss with your fellow learners.