Guide To Diagnosing And Treating Sepsis

Vasopressors

Vasopressors are not always used as a medication for treating sepsis. However, they will be prescribed to patients who continue to have issues with low blood pressure after being given IV fluids. The goal of a vasopressor is to constrict the blood vessels. This increases overall blood pressure. Vasopressors are exclusively used to treat dangerously low blood pressure. They are most commonly seen in hospital settings with critically ill patients. If an individual's blood pressure remains too low for too long, the organs may become irreparably damaged. Most deaths caused by sepsis are due to complications from low blood pressure.

Vasopressors may also be used to treat patients who are undergoing surgery or experiencing shock. They have been part of medical care since around the 1940s. It is common for a vasopressor to be prescribed with an inotrope medication, which affects the contraction of heart muscles. Some vasopressors are synthetic hormones that mimic hormones already created by the body.

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Intravenous Fluids

Intravenous fluids will be used to help fight the condition. When a patient has been diagnosed with sepsis, intravenous fluids tend to be the first line of treatment. It often takes less than three hours for an individual to be given fluids. Intravenous fluids are necessary because they prevent the body's blood pressure from dropping low enough to send a patient into shock. By giving fluids intravenously, doctors can track how much fluid a patient has been given. They can also control what type of fluid is provided. Fluids are vital to reducing the damage that sepsis causes.

Saline is one of the most commonly offered fluids. It is made up mostly of water, along with water-soluble minerals like sodium. The minerals function as electrolytes that help the body absorb the liquid. Patients might also be given colloids. These fluids are thicker than saline, and they do not dissolve as fast. If colloid fluid is administered, patients will need additional saline to maintain the balance within the body's systems.

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