Acute septic complications in gastrointestinal emergencies.

Gastrointestinal emergencies associated with sepsis require early decisions concerning antimicrobial drugs. Empirical selection should not be random, but rather based on a reasonable assessment of the pathogenesis and microbiology. Most bacterial pathogens have predictable antimicrobial susceptibilities. Such knowledge can guide the initial therapy, to be modified by laboratory results in the form of culture reports and antibiotic testing.