Haemodynamic Monitoring in Sepsis Treatment
In our recent article featured in the Clinical Services Journal (CSJ), James Leek, Vygon’s Business Manager for Haemodynamic Management, explores the importance and role haemodynamic monitoring plays within sepsis treatment.
According to the UK Sepsis Trust, sepsis claims more lives than breast, bowl and prostate cancer put together. With as many as 918,000 cases, and 48,000 deaths from this condition.
For this life-threatening condition, early detection and prompt management are crucial to improving survival rates and supporting critical care teams.
Why Advanced Haemodynamic Monitoring matters in Sepsis?
Haemodynamic instability is a trademark of sepsis and septic shock, where rapid physiological changes can lead to multi-organ dysfunction or death if not addressed promptly.
Being able to continuously monitor cardiovascular output in real time is paramount – allowing clinicians to detect subtle deterioration earlier and make life-saving decisions with greater precision.
These indicators, including stroke volume variation (SVV) and pulse pressure variation (PPV), help determine fluid responsiveness and guide the balance between resuscitation and the risk of fluid overload. This level of insight is vital in the early phases of sepsis, where clinical signs may be subtle.
Fluid management and goal-directed therapy (GDT)
Accurate fluid resuscitation is the foundation of successful early sepsis treatment whilst maintaining vital balance to prevent fluid overload.
Goal-directed therapy (GDT) has emerged as a solution to this challenge, offering a structured approach to fluid and vasopressor administration based on individual haemodynamics targets. Key indicators like PPV and SVV help predict fluid responsiveness under controlled ventilation conditions. When integrated with advanced monitoring, these indicators provide actionable insights to support clinical decision-making.
The European Society of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care (ESAIC) recommends individualising targets for stroke volume and cardiac output rather than attempting to maximise these parameters across the board.
Furthermore, a key aspect of this guidance highlights the importance of tracking dynamic trends rather than isolated values. ESAIC emphasise the potential benefit of integrating haemodynamic monitoring with other modalities, such as echocardiography and tissue perfusion markers to build a more complete clinical picture. This multi-modal approach can be especially valuable in sepsis, where patients present with varied and rapidly changing pathophysiology.
MostcareUp Haemodynamic Monitor
A key feature of Vygon’s Mostcare Up technology is that it’s a minimally invasive haemodynamic monitoring system. Designed to provide real-time information about a patient’s haemodynamic status. Allowing clinicians to make informed decisions regarding fluid management, cardiovascular performance and other critical access of patient care.
Children, especially those aged under five, are highly susceptible to sepsis. Their unique physiology poses challenges for both detection and treatment.
Children can maintain normal blood pressure until late in the shock process, making standard vital signs an unreliable indicator of deterioration.
Advanced haemodynamic monitoring offers a solution – by tracking beat-to-beat changes in cardiac output and systemic resistance, clinicians can detect early signs of cardiovascular compromise.
The utility of cardiac output monitoring in paediatric intensive care is key in improving diagnostic confidence and supporting earlier, targeted intervention.
The power of early insight & the future of sepsis monitoring
Consensus in the sector and multiple studies reinforce the principle that early intervention in sepsis is critical to survival. NHS England Sepsis Action Plan echoes this need for rapid and accurate assessment, promoting the use of structured escalation and screening tools to improve time-to-treatment.
Advanced haemodynamic monitoring complements these efforts by providing physiological clarity at the bedside.
As healthcare systems grapple with rising demand and workforce pressures, technologies that enhance diagnostic speed and precision are a must-have, not a luxury.
From paediatric ICUs to busy emergency departments, real-time monitoring equips healthcare professionals with insights needed to act quickly, reduce uncertainty and tailor treatment to each patient’s evolving needs. Adoption of this technology could prove a valuable step in the national effort to reduce sepsis mortality and enhance quality of care.
Leading the way with Haemodynamic Management with Vygon UK
At Vygon UK we believe that having the right haemodynamic monitor is only one piece of the vital puzzle, and that’s why we champion a total haemodynamic management approach.
3 Pillars of Haemodynamic Management:
- Signal
- Monitoring
- Therapy
Signal: Accurate analysis needs an accurate signal. In the operating room and ICU the arterial signal is the starting point of efficient haemodynamic management of critically ill patients. The quality and accuracy of the signal must be reliable to make the right diagnosis.
Discover our range ofarterial catheters
Monitoring: Patient vital signs are monitored continuously in the operating room and intensive care units with haemodynamic monitoring at the heart of this surveillance. Monitoring vital outputs are also a crucial element in the diagnosis process and related therapeutic actions.
Find out more about the Mostcare Up Haemodynamic Monitor
Therapy: Having the right tools for a safe, efficient, and accurate infusion therapies is the last piece of this therapeutic program for best clinical outcomes.
See the range of central venous catheters and vascular access devices from Vygon UK to identify the right lines, for the right patients, at the right time.
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