Abstract
Objective: To understand and review the diagnostic approach for septic shock and the use of norepinephrine and vasopressin within this context. Methods: This is an Integrative Literature Review using the PubMed, SciElo and NCBI databases and the science and health descriptors “Norepinephrine”, “Vasopressin”, “Sepsis” and “Septic Shock” in the language English and Portuguese. Twenty articles were chosen between 2010 and 2020 for analysis. Results: It was found that most studies agreed on the use of qSOFA outside the ICUs, while it is recommended that SOFA be used preferentially after admission to the ICU. Regarding hemodynamic support, there was congruence regarding the use of norepinephrine as the drug of choice and vasopressin in the adjuvant treatment. Final considerations: Sepsis and septic shock represent an important public health problem, as they generate significant impacts on the individual's physiological balance and on the relationship between supply-demand-cost in intensive care services. Thus, providing health professionals with knowledge about the methods that enable early diagnosis and optimizing drug therapies are important strategies in the fight for life.