Duration of hypotension before initiation of effective antimicrobial therapy is the critical determinant of survival in human septic shock*

Effective antimicrobial administration within the first hour of documented hypotension was associated with increased survival to hospital discharge in adult patients with septic shock. Despite a progressive increase in mortality rate with increasing delays, only 50% of septic shock patients received effective antimicrobial therapy within 6 hrs of documented hypotension.