septic shock is a dangerous condition that results when a severe infection evades the body’s defenses. the body’s normal response to infection is a process called inflammation. when inflammation is confined to one area of infection (like a wound or a pneumonia) the natural chemicals released help fight and control the infection. in septic shock these inflammatory chemicals spread through the bloodstream where they don’t belong. these chemicals and substances released by bacteria cause blood pressure to fall to dangerously low levels. antibiotics are the most important treatment for septic shock. however antibiotics alone don’t correct septic shock because the body’s response to the infection is as harmful as the infection itself. intravenous medicines to increase blood pressure (vasopressors) are needed during septic shock. many people with septic shock become unconscious and some require mechanical ventilation (life support) to breathe. septic shock can be fatal and there are few effective treatments. in most cases treatment means providing life support until antibiotics and the person’s immune system clear the infection and the massive inflammatory process subsides.
what is septic shock?