Strategies for the Management of Sepsis

T incidence of sepsis and mortality rates have remained consistent over the years despite advances in therapy, with mortality rates reported to be as high as 23.6% for patients diagnosed with septic shock.1,2 However, since 2014, how we identify sepsis and how we treat affected patients has changed substantially.3,4 In addition, although the topic is beyond the scope of this article, controversy remains about which criteria should be used when screening for and diagnosing sepsis.5 The purpose of this article is to provide an overview of some of the updates to the Surviving Sepsis Campaign (SSC) guidelines, adjustments in traditional approaches to the management of sepsis, and novel therapies that have yet to be described extensively in the literature, such as the use of ascorbic acid, thiamine, and angiotensin II.