Sepsis: The Golden Hours

- Early fluid resuscitation, broad spectrum antibiotics (after cultures x2) and source control makes a difference in sepsis! 

- There is a survival benefit with early goal directed therapy (EGDT), based on a single-centre randomized trial. Check out these 2008 Surviving Sepsis Campaign guidelines for the targets of EGDT and other recommendations for the treatment of severe sepsis and septic shock

- A large NIH-funded multi-centre RCT trial is underway to confirm the findings of the landmark 2001 Rivers trial. This study will compare the original EGDT protocol against two separate arms: a structured resuscitation arm without routine central venous catheters, or usual care. The expected completion date of the ProCESS study is December 2013