Strict Heart Rate Control With Esmolol in Septic Shock: a Randomized, Controlled, Clinical Pilot Study

154 septic shock patients with heart rate > of 95 bpm and requiring vasopressor support to maintain mean arterial pressure between 65 and 75 mmHg despite adequate volume resuscitation, will be enrolled in the study. Patients will be randomly allocated to be treated with either a) a continuous esmolol infusion at any doses to maintain heart rate between 95 and 80 bpm b)to a standard treatment without heart rate control(control; each n = 77). In both groups, norepinephrine will be titrated to achieve a mean arterial pressure (MAP) between 65 and 75 mmHg. Data from right heart catheterization,data from organ function as well as norepinephrine requirements will be obtained at baseline and after 24, 48, 72, and 96 hours. The protocol will require that esmolol be infused continuously at any doses to maintain the predefined heart rate threshold until one the following events occur: the patient die, a serious adverse effect attributed to the study drug infusion, or the patient has been discharged from ICU.