septic shock

noun

|Updated on: 20 Jun 2018

Definition of septic shock

: a life-threatening form of sepsis that usually results from the presence of gram-negative bacteria and their toxins in the bloodstream and that is characterized especially by decreased blood flow to organs and tissues, hypotension, organ dysfunction (as of the heart, kidneys, or lungs), impaired mental state, and often multiple organ failure

Recent Examples of septic shock from the Web

The catheter was replaced in the emergency room, but Harris went into septic shock and died May 16, 2016.

— andy marso, kansascity, "VA inflated catheter in Missouri man's penis, causing bleeding then death, suit says," 4 June 2018
Ali died on June 3, 2016 in Scottsdale, Arizona from septic shock.

— thomas novelly, The Courier-Journal, "Rewind: Remembering Muhammad Ali two years after his death," 3 June 2018
In 2012 Savita Halappanavar, a 31-year-old dentist, died of septic shock in Galway after being refused a termination.

— The Economist, "Ireland votes solidly to allow abortion," 31 May 2018
A few days later, medics diagnosed infection as a result of ruptured membranes and, later septic shock.

— luke darby, GQ, "Ireland Votes Overwhelmingly to Legalize Abortion," 26 May 2018
Medical personnel did not diagnose her Strep A infection — the kind that causes strep throat — which ultimately led to septic shock and sepsis.

— cary spivak, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, "Should a woman who lost four limbs to malpractice collect more than $750,000 for her suffering?," 17 Apr. 2018
These superbugs are commonly acquired by hospital patients, and can cause systemic infections that lead to septic shock and multiple-organ failure.

— lisa m. krieger, chicagotribune.com, "'A last line of defense': IBM lab designs molecule to kill drug-resistant superbugs," 4 Apr. 2018
On March 16, 2017, a resident was admitted to a local hospital with twitching, hypothermia, hypotension and septic shock due to multifocal pneumonia, according to DPH.

— courant.com, "State Fines Six Nursing Homes After Residents Injured," 23 Mar. 2018
The cause was septic shock, said Jenny Hurth, a close friend and the executor of his estate.

— roberta smith, New York Times, "Eli Leon, 82, Dies; Champion of African-American Quilt Makers," 23 Mar. 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'septic shock.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

First Known Use of septic shock

1966

in the meaning defined above

See Words from the same year

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Medical Dictionary

septic shock

noun

medical Definition of septic shock

: a life-threatening severe form of sepsis that usually results from the presence of bacteria and their toxins in the bloodstream and is characterized especially by persistent hypotension with reduced blood flow to organs and tissues and often organ dysfunction