Severe sepsis: take care, take part

Severe sepsis is defined as organ dysfunction in the setting of systemic inflammatory response due to infection. With changes in population age, comorbidity and the delivery of medical care, severe sepsis is increasingly common, and can present in every area of the hospital. The major obstacles to improved outcomes in severe sepsis are deficiencies in healthcare staffing and education, haphazard recognition and response to early clinical deterioration and deviation from optimal management as defined by international guidelines. Major treatment errors were identified in 30% of patients with bacteraemia in one recent investigation. Against this, substantial reductions in mortality can be achieved by improving recognition, urgent care and resuscitation. With a view to improving survival in sepsis, collaborative efforts are required to measure outcomes, implement guidelines and secure adequate funding for ongoing practice improvement, education and research.