In the ICU, antibiotic consumption is high by necessity. Around 75% of patients receive antibiotics on the day of admission, and every course of treatment carries the risk of fuelling resistance. 'Each time you use antibiotics, there is some resistance growing; that is the interaction which is difficult to manage in routine,' Leone said, underlining the importance of antimicrobial stewardship (AMS). In cases of septic shock, blood cultures must be collected and antibiotic therapy started without delay. Where the probability of sepsis is low, however, there is room to pause and confirm whether an infection is actually present.