Early Identification and Management of the Septic Patient in the Emergency Department

Sepsis and septic shock affect millions of people around the globe and kills more than 1 in 4 patients worldwide. Emergency departments (EDs) nationwide have implemented evidence-based protocols to facilitate the early detection and treatment of patients with sepsis. Despite these efforts, patients present to the ED undifferentiated and can often have an unclear source of infection. The latest literature provides refined definitions and clinical criteria for sepsis identification and indicates that early detection combined with the appropriate early management improves the septic patients' morbidity and mortality rates.