TREATING SEPSIS

Step J - Justify your therapeutic plan

Finally you must look at all of the ongoing therapies and interventions and question: are they still necessary. If a patient is hemodynamically stable and the source controlled, it is unlikely that a pulmonary artery catheter will continue to be of any benefit, and certainly carries a risk. The spectrum of antimicrobial therapy should be narrowed, in accordance to laboratory results. Aggressive moves to wean vasopressor support and mechanical ventilation should be made. If the patient is not improving clinically, you must question if you have, in fact, affected source control.

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