Korean J Geriatr Gerontol.  2015 Dec;16(2):50-55. 10.15656/kjcg.2015.16.2.50.

Sepsis, Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock in the Elderly

• Cho CY
• Kim SH

• KMID: 2566513
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.15656/kjcg.2015.16.2.50

Abstract

The number of the elderly patients with sepsis, severe sepsis and septic shock has increased in recent years. However, only about half of them have shown typical features of sepsis and lest half of them have shown non-specific signs and symptoms of sepsis like altered mental state, delirium, anorexia, general weakness, malaise, anorexia, urinary/fecal incontinence, and falls. The diagnosis of these older patients is not easy and likely to be missed if not anticipated. Management of sepsis, severe sepsis and septic shock in the elderly should be performed to the “Surviving Sepsis Campaign: International Guidelines for Management of Severe Sepsis and Septic Shock: 2012”.

Keyword

Sepsis; Severe sepsis; Septic shock; SIRS; Elderly