 Severe sepsis and septic shock are the cause of significant morbidity and mortality worldwide. An estimated 751,000 3 per 1,000 population cases of severe sepsis occur in the United States each year, resulting in approximately 215,000 deaths. Septic shock is characterized by hypotension, hypermetabolic state, lactic acidosis, and potentially death. In addition, the economic burden on the health care system for patients suffering from severe sepsis is striking. Weycker et al. report that patients suffering from severe sepsis will require an average of 45,000 dollars of medical care cost on their index admission and up to 78,500 dollars in the first year post-diagnosis. These figures rival such entities as acute myocardial infarction, trauma, and stroke. Whereas a significant amount of research and therapeutic interventions have been focused on the early hours of diseases such as acute myocardial infarction, stroke, and trauma, less attention has been given to the initial stages of severe sepsis and septic shock. 