What Is the Role of Steroids in Septic Shock?

Later, she was weaned off norepinephrine and transferred out of the ICU. On hospital Day 7, a slow taper of her hydrocortisone initiated, and antibiotics were switched to oral levofloxacin. She was later discharged home in stable condition.

Bottom Line

In patients with septic shock that is unresponsive to IV fluid resuscitation and vasopressors, the addition of low-dose corticosteroids is relatively safe and can improve rate of reversal of shock, reduce time to reversal of shock, decrease ICU length of stay, and potentially lower mortality.

Drs. Gandhi and Asudani are health science assistant professors of medicine in the Division of Hospital Medicine at the University of California at San Diego.

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