Sepsis and myocardial depression in a young woman

Severe sepsis may be associated with depression of myocardial function, attributed to various inflammatory mediators. Myocardial dysfunction in sepsis is characterized by biventricular failure and complicates usual therapy with high-volume fluid resuscitation and vasopressors. However, in patients who survive septic shock, myocardial dysfunction can improve rapidly. We describe a young woman with septic shock due to Streptococcus pneumoniae, complicated by severe but reversible biventricular dysfunction.