Sepsis and Septic Shock

September recognizes ‘World Sepsis Day’ every year on September 13th.  Sepsis is a life-threatening condition when bacteria infect your bloodstream. It happens when an infection you already have triggers a chain reaction throughout your body. It may lead to shock, multi-organ failure,⁠ and death – especially if not recognized early and treated promptly.⁠

⁠Some common symptoms include:⁠

• Fast heart rate⁠
• Low blood pressure⁠
• Fever or hypothermia⁠
• Shaking or chills⁠
• Warm/clammy sweaty skin⁠
• Confusion or disorientation⁠
• Shortness of breath⁠
• Sepsis rash⁠
• Extreme pain or discomfort⁠

⁠It’s very important to quickly identify people with infections that may lead  to sepsis shock. There are no strict criteria to diagnose sepsis, unfortunately. That’s why providers use a combination of findings — from a physical exam, lab tests, X-rays and other tests — to identify the infection (blood cultures) and diagnose sepsis.⁠

⁠Sepsis treatment needs to begin immediately. The most important concern in sepsis protocol is a quick diagnosis and prompt treatment.⁠ Any type of infection can lead to sepsis. This includes bacterial, viral or fungal infections. Those that are more commonly cause sepsis includes infections of:

• Bloodstream
• Digestive System
• Wounds or burns
• Catheter sites
• Lungs (like pneumonia)
• Kidney, bladder and other parts of the urinary system

⁠If your provider diagnoses you with sepsis, they’ll usually place you in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the hospital for special treatment.⁠ Different medications are used in treating sepsis and septic shock. They include:

• Antibiotics – Blood tests will show which germ is causing the infection
• Surgery – Sometimes is needed to remove pus, infected tissue, or dead tissues
• Supportive care – Such as oxygen, a ventilator, or dialysis

Most people recover from mild sepsis, but the mortality rate for septic shock is about 30%-40%. Also, an episode of mild sepsis raises risk for future infections.