Timing of Appropriate Antibiotics in Patients with Sepsis

Even with early goal-directed therapy, starting appropriate antibiotics within 1 hour after diagnosis is essential for optimal outcomes.

Current treatment guidelines for severe sepsis and septic shock strongly recommend initiating broad-spectrum antibiotic therapy within 1 hour after the syndrome is identified, together with supportive treatment such as early goal-directed therapy (EGDT). Alone, each of these steps improves survival, but what is the effect of antibiotic timing in patients who are receiving EGDT?

To find out, researchers conducted a retrospective, single-center study involving adults who received EGDT for sepsis or septic shock at a Pennsylvania emergency department (ED) between January 5, 2005, and December 31, 2006. The 261 patients studied had an average age of 59. Forty-seven percent of them qualified for EGDT at triage; 53% qualified later during their ED…

Reviewing Author

Thomas Glück, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsConsilium Infectiorum by InfectoPharm, Infection

Thomas Glück, MD

Disclosures

Editorial BoardsConsilium Infectiorum by InfectoPharm, Infection