Septic cardiomyopathy: characteristics, evaluation, and mechanism

Abstract Sepsis is a common clinical disease; if there is no early active treatment, it is likely to develop into multiple organ dysfunction syndrome and even cause death. Septic cardiomyopathy is a complication of sepsis-related cardiovascular failure, characterized by reversible left ventricular dilatation and decreased ventricular systolic and/or diastolic function. At present, echocardiography and biomarkers are often used to screen septic cardiomyopathy in clinics. Although there is still a lack of clear diagnostic criteria for septic cardiomyopathy, according to existing studies, the pathogenesis of several septic cardiomyopathy has been clarified, such as immune response caused by infection and mitochondrial dysfunction. This review summarizes the characteristics, pathophysiology, and diagnosis of septic cardiomyopathy and focuses on the mechanisms of infection immunity and mitochondrial dysfunction.