The Canadian journal of hospital pharmacy
-
Current evidence suggests that administration of appropriate antibiotic therapy within 1 h after the onset of hypotension significantly improves mortality rates among patients with severe sepsis and septic shock. ⋯ At the study hospital, the interval from onset of severe sepsis or septic shock to initial administration of antibiotic to inpatients exceeded the 1-h period recommended by the Surviving Sepsis Campaign. These results will be used as a baseline for future quality assurance and improvement initiatives aimed at minimizing the time to antibiotic administration for this group of patients, who are at high risk of death.