Cerebral Oxygenation in Septic Patients Using Vasopressors - the Conscious Study

Cerebral Oxygenation in Septic Patients Using Vasopressors - The Conscious Study

The purpose of this study is to reveal if higher doses of vasopressors in septic shock patients correlates with cerebral vasoconstriction and lower cerebral oximetry.

The mortality with septic shock is high. Treatment includes antibiotics, intravenous fluid and drugs for circulatory support, especially the vasopressor norepinephrine. Fluids and drugs for circulatory support are to restore adequate organ perfusion. Inadequate oxygenation of the brain can give neurologic damage. Traditionally treatment is guided by surrogate markers like arterial and central venous pressure. Cerebral oximetry is a non-invasive method which measures cerebral saturation of oxygen, SCO2, and thereby expresses regional cerebral perfusion. By registering cerebral oxymetry on patients treated with vasopressors for septic shock we want to reveal if higher doses of vasopressor correlates with cerebral vasoconstriction and lower cerebral oximetry.

Inclusion Criteria:

• 18 years or older
• Septic shock patients in ICU department requiring vasopressor therapy

Exclusion Criteria:

• Damage to the frontal lobes corresponding to the area where SCO2 is monitored
• Patients in pharmacological studies
• Patients with known intracranial vascular anomalies or cerebral aneurysms
• Patients where vasoactive medication is started before cerebral oxymetry is established
• Patients with known neurological disease
• Patients with undergone cerebral insult, transient ischemic attack or carotid stenosis
• Patients who have been resuscitated after cardiac arrest in connection with this hospital stay
• Patients with a body temperature below 35 degrees Celsius when establishing monitoring