Septic shock.

The problems associated with septic shock are highlighted, including those which arose during a 3-year prospective study. Mortality in the first year of the study was 71 per cent, falling to 38 per cent in the third year. The reasons for this fall are detailed. The pattern of survival times changed over the 3 years, giving rise to the longer term complications such as stress bleeding, multiple organ failure and superadded infection.