Table 1. Arguments in favor of the early use of norepinephrine in septic shock.

Consequences of early use of norepinephrine	Rational	References
Prevention of prolonged severe hypotension	Septic shock is characterized by a depressed arterial tone. fluid administration alone cannot be sufficient to correct severe hypotension	(10,11)
Increase in cardiac output	Increase in cardiac preload due to an increase in stressed blood volume	(12-16)
	Increase in cardiac contractility	(17)
Improvement of microcirculation	Improvement of microvascular blood flow in pressure-dependent vascular beds through increase in MAP in severely hypotensive patients	(13)
Prevention of fluid overload	Early administration of norepinephrine limits the volume of fluids infused	(18)
Improvement of outcome	Likely in relation to the preceding effects	(18,19)