Which vital sign changes may indicate septic shock?

Septic shock is a severe and life-threatening condition that arises from sepsis, which is an overwhelming response to infection. The physiological changes that occur during septic shock primarily involve the cardiovascular and respiratory systems.

An increased heart rate, or tachycardia, is a compensatory response as the body tries to maintain adequate organ perfusion despite decreased blood pressure. In septic shock, there is often vasodilation and increased permeability of blood vessels, which can lead to a significant drop in blood pressure, classified as hypotension. This combination of increased heart rate and decreased blood pressure is crucial for identifying septic shock, as the body is working harder to compensate for the reduced perfusion to vital organs.

The other options do not align with the typical vital sign changes seen in septic shock:

• Decreased heart rate and increased blood pressure would indicate a different physiological state, potentially related to other forms of shock or stress responses.

• Stable heart rate and elevated temperature do not reflect the critical nature of septic shock, where you would expect significant changes in vital signs as a response to the infection.

• Normal blood pressure alongside decreased respiratory rate also does not represent septic shock, as the patient would likely exhibit signs of respiratory distress and hypotension.

Thus, the identification of