Septic shock is the most serious complication of sepsis, which is an acute disease that develops as a result of exposure to a bacterial, viral, or fungal infection. The disease can have a sudden or even lightning-fast beginning and develop as a result of contamination of the body with the pathogen from the source (focus) of inflammation. Modern medical technologies and highly effective drugs have significantly changed the nature of the course of diseases, and septic shock is a rather rare complication.
Causes of shock
The causative agent of the disease can be a variety of both pathogenic and conditionally pathogenic microorganisms. These are, first of all, coccal flora, Escherichia, tuberculous mycobacteria, Klebsiella, herpes viruses, fungi of the genus Candida and others.
After the pathogen enters the body, sepsis does not always develop. This requires a special state of the human body, in which its general resistance weakens, and the pathogenic pathogen begins to multiply intensively. Also, the development of the disease contributes to the weakening of any link in the immune system. In children and adults, coccal flora often prevails, in those who receive immunosuppressive therapy, gram-negative flora. Against the background of taking hormonal drugs, a chronic septic state often occurs with the development of tuberculous sepsis.
The clinical picture of the disease
Manifestations of sepsis depend on its pathogen and human immunity. The disease can begin very quickly, tremendous chills, high fever of the wrong type, pain in the whole body, small-pointed rash, severe weakness and loss of strength appear . Often enlarged in size the spleen and liver. In the absence of appropriate antibiotic therapy, death occurs due to the development of shock or such a formidable complication as septic endocarditis. This disease is characterized by frequent thrombosis in combination with a blood clotting disorder and the development of DIC.
When conducting antibiotic therapy in two to four weeks, joint pain may appear, septic arthritis or glomerulonephritis develops. With kidney damage in the urine, the study reveals a protein, an increased content of red blood cells and cylinders. These complications of the disease, even with a positive reaction of the body to treatment, are a pathological response of the immune system.
Septic shock is manifested by an extremely serious condition of the patient. Consciousness is confused, a person can fall into a coma. The skin is pale, acrocyanosis is observed. At the same time, a rash appears. Blood pressure is low. The pulse is rapid, threadlike. Often pneumonia with respiratory failure joins. Body temperature rises to high values.
Diagnostics
It is not difficult to diagnose septic shock; the most difficult diagnosis is sepsis. It is put in the presence of characteristic clinical signs of the disease: a specific connection with any inflammatory process, high fever and blood leukocytosis, chills, severe general condition. But the main criterion in diagnosis is the isolation of the pathogen from the blood. Sowing it is carried out at the peak of high body temperature. But at the beginning of the disease in half the cases, blood cultures do not give a positive result. Therefore, it is advisable to conduct them every day.
Treatment of the disease and its complications
With sepsis, pathogenetic therapy should be carried out. A patient with a suspicion of this disease, and even more so in a state of shock, should be immediately hospitalized in the intensive care unit, where it is possible to maintain vital body functions.
Antibacterial therapy is prescribed, and it is better to use antibiotics of several groups at once. Before identifying a specific pathogen, broad-spectrum antibiotics are used.
If DIC develops, transfusion of blood and plasma components is advisable. A shock condition often requires correction of arterial hypotension, therefore hormonal drugs are used.
In the future, symptomatic therapy is carried out aimed at maintaining life and restoring the normal functioning of the body systems.