Pathophysiology of Septic Shock

The last two decades have witnessed a remarkable expansion in the understanding of sepsis, its origins, consequences and outcomes: the pace of advancement in this field has been so great that articles and books are frequently out of date by the time they reach publication. As the various aspects of the septic cascade have been elucidated, we have begun to understand just how complex and involved this response is; as such, it is virtually impossible in any one article to describe each individual detail of each intricate pathway. Here we aim to draw together all the essential elements of the inflammatory response to sepsis, but the reader is encouraged to engage with the primary research papers. We concentrate on some of the most recent developments in this field and the ways in which these may impact on our clinical practice.