The diagnosis of septic shock is very important. Most of the symptoms can be mistaken for some other condition. A doctor should do a detailed physical examination of the patient. The changes that occur in a patient during septic shock are at a cellular level so it is very important to diagnose correctly.
A physical examination is a must. It should include assessment of the patient’s airway, circulation and mental status. Vital signs need to be observed carefully. The doctor needs to carefully examine the skin color and complexion. The heart and its beats need to studied, along with respiratory function.
There are certain steps that are necessary if the diagnosis of septic shock has to be correct. The body’s immune system must have had an inflammatory reaction. There must be sepsis, signs of imminent organ failure and of course, hypotension that is not corrected by treatment.
Along with observation all symptoms, it is also important to identify the source of the infection causing the sepsis. If the infection is not identified, the treatment becomes that much more difficult and makes the prognosis worse.