Sepsis, fluid resuscitation and bedside echocardiography.

Abstract

The surviving sepsis campaign recommends that every patient must receive 30 cc/kg fluid for the resuscitation from sepsisinduced hypoperfusion within the first 3 h.1 In an acute clinical scenario, it is very difficult to know the right amount of fluid to give to a patient with sepsis. Sepsis sometimes coexists with hypervolaemia in patients with congestive heart failure or pul monary hypertension; furthermore many conditions mimic sepsis by meeting criteria for systemic inflammatory response syndrome including anaphylaxis, aspiration, bowel obstruction, colitis, hypovolemia, pancreatitis, pulmonary embolism, GI bleeding, heart failure, acute coronary syndrome, spinal cord injury, toxic overdose, medication effect and vasculitis. If these conditions are not considered, there is potential for increased mortality and morbidity.