Septic shock is a critical complication of sepsis when blood pressure drops to a dangerously low point after an infection. Sepsis happens when our immune system abnormally reacts to an infection.
Septic shock could be life-threatening and requires immediate medical attention. Therefore, if a person feels symptoms like very low BP, organ malfunction, fever, shivering, shortness of breath and altered mental state, they should visit a doctor to diagnose and begin septic shock treatment ASAP.
We will explore septic shock treatment in the following section. Also, take health insurance to shield yourself and your loved ones during life’s uncertain situations like this.
Treatment of Septic Shock
- Septic shock treatment requires thorough medical attention to improve the likelihood of recovery. It needs close monitoring and procedure at the intensive care unit of a hospital because of the severity of sepsis, which might require immediate life-saving steps to stabilise heart action and breathing.
- Doctors use various medications to treat sepsis and septic shock, including antibiotics, fluids through veins and vasopressors. Let us go through the details of these medications.
- Antibiotics are the first medications for septic shock treatment. Doctors begin antibiotics as soon as possible after the diagnosis. Broad-spectrum antibiotics are used first. These are highly effective on diverse types of bacteria.
- After completing the course of the first set of antibiotics to target the germs that cause the septic shock infection, a second set of antibiotics is used. These antibiotics are given following the blood test reports, and they target the germs that are responsible for the infection.
- Doctors administer intravenous fluids for septic shock treatment as soon as possible after diagnosis and test reports.
- If doctors observe dangerously low blood pressure even after administering fluids to veins, they use vasopressors to elevate the blood pressure through narrowing blood vessels.
- Depending upon the patient’s condition, doctors might also prescribe insulin for maintaining blood sugar levels or painkillers as additional medications.
- Septic shock treatment also includes supportive care. Sepsis can affect multiple organs and cause severe complications. People suffering from septic shock might require oxygen, a machine to help them breathe, and even dialysis if the infection affects the kidneys. The doctor diagnoses and decides the procedure according to the patient’s condition.
- Treatment for septic shock may also include surgery to eliminate sources of infection like dead or infected tissues and pus.