LABORATORY EVALUATION OF SEPSIS

Course overview

SEPSIS IS A MEDICAL EMERGENCY CAUSED BY ORGAN DYSFUNCTION RESULTING FROM A DYSREGULATED HOST RESPONSE TO AN INFECTION. EARLY IDENTIFICATION AND TREATMENT OF SEPSIS AND SEPTIC SHOCK ARE ESSENTIAL FOR IMPROVING OUTCOMES. TIMELY INITIATION OF ANTIMICROBIAL THERAPY IS ONE OF THE MOST EFFECTIVE INTERVENTIONS TO REDUCE SEPSIS-RELATED MORBIDITY AND MORTALITY. IDENTIFYING SEPSIS AND SEPTIC SHOCK CAN BE DIFFICULT DUE TO THEIR VARIABLE CLINICAL PRESENTATION. PATIENTS WITH SUSPECTED SEPSIS OR SEPTIC SHOCK ARE EVALUATED WITH VARIOUS LABORATORY STUDIES, INCLUDING DIFFERENT BIOMARKERS ESSENTIAL FOR DIAGNOSIS, EARLY RECOGNITION OF SEVERITY, RISK STRATIFICATION, AND PROGNOSIS. THE RESULTS OF THESE STUDIES AND VARIOUS CLINICAL CRITERIA CAN BE USED TO EFFECTIVELY SCREEN PATIENTS FOR SEPSIS AND GAUGE THE SEVERITY OF THE DISEASE. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE LABORATORY EVALUATION OF PATIENTS WITH SUSPECTED SEPSIS OR SEPTIC SHOCK AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN IMPROVING CARE FOR PATIENTS WITH THIS LIFE-THREATENING CONDITION.