- Sepsis
BC Sepsis Network Special Communication on the Sepsis-3 Definitions
In February 2016, the Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock (Sepsis-3) were published in JAMA. The Sepsis-3 task force redefined the definitions of sepsis and septic shock (removing severe sepsis from the definitions) – see table below. The purpose of this work was to improve the clarity of the definitions not only for clinical care of patients but also for epidemiology, quality improvement and research.
New Definition
| Sepsis (replacing severe sepsis) | Life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. |
|---|---|
| Septic Shock | A subset of sepsis in which particularly profound circulatory, cellular, and metabolic abnormalities are associated with a greater risk of mortality than with sepsis alone. |
In April 2016, we prepared a special communication on the consensus definitions for sepsis and septic shock to assist clinicians in understanding some of the key changes.
