First economic analysis paints shocking picture of sepsis in Europe

Severe sepsis and septic shock, the 2 most common causes of death in noncoronary intensive-care units (ICUs), lie at the most severe end of a spectrum of infection-related diseases.1 Severe sepsis and septic shock are poorly defined clinically, but essentially, sepsis - previously known as septicaemia - describes a serious localised or generalised bacterial infection, accompanied by inflammation. Septic shock arises when sepsis leads to hypoperfusion and hypotension, especially when the latter does not respond to fluid replacement. Severe sepsis and septic shock are associated with around 146 000 deaths in Europe each year, and the annual healthcare management costs might yet reach 7.6 billion euros, according to the first analysis of European expenditure on this often deadly disease, presented at the 14th Conference of the European Society of Intensive Care Medicine held in Geneva in October.