Background: Vascular hyporeactivity and hyperpolarization are important causes of circulatory failure in septic shock. However, there is no data on the differences in vascular reactivity and resting membrane potential for survivors and non-survivors of sepsis. Thus, the aim of this study was to examine and compare the changes in vascular reactivity and resting membrane potential for survivors and non-survivors following cecal ligation and puncture (CLP)-induced sepsis. Methods: Wistar rats were subjected to CLP or a sham operation after the carotid artery and vein were cannulated. The changes in hemodynamics, biochemical variables, aortic isometric tension, smooth muscle membrane potential, and aortic superoxide levels were monitored during the experimental period. Results: The CLP surgery caused circulatory failure, multiple organ dysfunction syndrome (MODS), vascular hyporeactivity to norepinephrine (NE), and vascular hyperpolarization. Compared with survivors, non-survivors showed more severe organ dysfunction and a lower increase in aortic superoxide levels at 9 h. In addition, non-survivors displayed lower decreases in vascular reactivity to NE and resting membrane potential in the aortas compared to those of the survivors. Conclusions: These results demonstrate signifi cant differences in vascular reactivity and resting membrane potential for survivors and non-survivors after CLP-induced sepsis. However, vascular hyporeactivity and hyperpolarization only partially contributed to the early death of septic animals, while early death in our study was most likely due to organ dysfunction (i.e. MODS) in this CLP-induced sepsis model.