Antibiotic Guideline for the Empirical Treatment of Sepsis: 

Severe Sepsis of Unknown Origin

• Cefuroxime IV 1.5g tds plus if severe sepsis or the blood pressure fails to respond to initial fluid bolus give: Gentamicin IV 5mg/kg (if normal renal function) as a single dose (max 500mg).
• If in doubt or if patient has a severe allergy to penicllins (e.g. urticarial rash within the first 72 hours, anaphylaxis or angioedema) with a medical microbiologist or on-call infectious diseases consultant.

NOTES

• When taking blood cultures, two sets of blood cultures should be sent. Each set (two bottles) should be taken from separate venepuncture sites.
• In hours samples should be sent straight to microbiology.
• Out of hours, samples should be taken to the incubator on A floor at QMC or the incubator at pathology reception at city.
• They must not be sent by the tube system.

Page last edited: 08/05/2009

Caution; the antibiotic doses recommended on this website are intended for adult patients with normal renal and liver function unless otherwise stated. Dosing advice for patients with renal impairment is available here.

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