Steroids in severe sepsis and septic shock. Controversial aspects

Abstract

With regard to therapy of patients in ICU are several developments reported so far have succeeded in improving mortality rates, among which are: protective ventilatory strategies, strict glycemic control with intravenous insulin and the resurgence of corticosteroid therapy at physiological doses. Taking into account this last pillar, steroid therapy in sepsis has great appeal in situations where the body septic inflammatory response is responsible for the severity of it, the potential indications of therapy are many; however, the scientific evidence is scarce and poor. Finally, the role of corticosteroids in the treatment of severe sepsis and septic shock has been controversial and although it has been shown that the use of not prolonged guidelines of low-dose steroids improve hemodynamics and reduce duration of Vasoconstrictor therapy is suspected that their use is widespread due to the great success that have taken the measures advocated by the "Surviving sepsis" campaign. For all this, in the Intensive Care Unit from the Teaching General Hospital of Moron Capitán Roberto Rodríguez Fernández, a review about it was carried out.