Hemodynamic management of septic shock

We present a review of the hemodynamic management of septic shock. Although substantial amount of evidence is present in this area, most key decisions on the management of these patients remain dependent on physiological reasoning and on pathophysiological principles rather than randomized controlled trials. During primary (early) resuscitation, restoration of adequate arterial pressure and cardiac output using fluids and vasopressor and/or inotropic drugs is guided by basic hemodynamic monitoring and physical examination in the emergency department. When more advanced level of monitoring is present in these patients, i.e. during secondary resuscitation (later phase in the emergency department and in the ICU), hemodynamic management can be guided by more advanced measurements of the macrocirculation. Our understanding of the microcirculation in septic shock is limited and reliable therapeutic modalities to optimize it do not yet exist. No specific hemodynamic treatment strategy; be it medications including fluids, monitoring devices or treatment algorithms has yet been proved to improve outcome. Moreover, there is virtually no data on the optimal management of the resolution phase of septic shock. Despite these gaps in knowledge, the data from observational studies and trials suggests that mortality in septic shock has been generally decreasing during the last decade.