{blacktriangledown}Drotrecogin alfa (activated) for severe sepsis

doi:10.1136/dtb.2006.4415

Drug and Therapeutics Bulletin 2006;44:5-8; doi:10.1136/dtb.2006.4415

${blacktriangledown}$ Drotrecogin alfa (activated) for severe sepsis

Relevant BNF section: 2.11

Sepsis, the systemic inflammatory response to infection, iscommon among severely ill patients and can be life-threatening.Over a quarter of patients in UK intensive care units (ICUs)have severe sepsis in the first 24 hours after admission.¹ Ofthese, 35% die before leaving the ICU and 47% before leavinghospital despite standard therapy.¹ ${blacktriangledown}$ Drotrecogin alfa (activated)(Xigris - Eli Lilly), a recombinant human activated proteinC, is licensed for treating adults who have severe sepsis withmultiple organ failure. Here we assess its efficacy and safety.