Echocardiography in Septic Shock

BACKGROUND: Echocardiography can provide evaluation of right or left ventricular dysfunction and volume status during resuscitation of patients with sepsis and septic shock and guide intravenous vasopressor and fluid therapy. While there are numerous echocardiographic studies regarding cardiac function and volume status in patients with established shock, there are none that describe these during the early resuscitation of septic shock. The study objective is to correlate echocardiographic findings with clinical parameters and net fluid balance measured during the early resuscitation of critically ill patients with sepsis and septic shock. Aim 1) correlate echocardiographic findings of cardiac function with physiologic markers in the early hours of resuscitation Aim 2) correlate cardiac function and fluid status with clinical outcomes Aim 3) evaluate the change in cardiac function over time in patients with sepsis and septic shock Aim 4) evaluate long term clinical outcomes for patients with sepsis and septic shock.