Guarding against sepsis: Tips for staying safe and taking action

Sepsis can be a scary word. Learning how to detect and treat it can save lives. Here’s what you need to know about sepsis and septic shock.

What is sepsis?

Sepsis is an extreme response to an infection and is a life-threatening emergency.

Normally, your body's immune system fights off germs (bacteria, viruses, parasites or fungi) to keep you healthy. But sometimes, for reasons we are still figuring out, your immune system stops fighting the infection and starts attacking your own body. That reaction is the start of sepsis.

Sepsis stages of severity

There are three stages of sepsis.

Sepsis: Your immune system overreacts to an infection and can cause severe inflammation.

Severe sepsis: There are signs of organ dysfunction, low or no urine output, abnormal liver tests and changes in mental status.

Septic shock: The last and most severe stage due to extremely low blood pressure that can lead to stroke, organ failure and death.

At any stage, sepsis is dangerous and needs to be treated as soon as possible.

Fast facts about sepsis

• Sepsis is the leading cause of death in U.S. hospitals.
• 35% of all in-hospital deaths happen because of sepsis.
• About 350,000 adults die from sepsis every year in the U.S., which is like losing one person every 90 seconds.
• Sepsis kills more people than stroke, prostate cancer, breast cancer and opioid overdose combined.
• Treating sepsis costs about $62 billion every year.

Common causes of sepsis

Sepsis can happen when your body tries to fight off infections. Sepsis is commonly associated with:

• Infections of the digestive system.
• Lung infections, like pneumonia.
• Skin infection.
• Urinary tract infections.

Risk factors of sepsis

Sepsis can impact anyone, but some groups of people are more likely to be affected.

• Adults over age 65
• Lower income individuals and families
• Newborns
• People with a weakened immune system
• Racial and ethnic minorities

Signs and symptoms of sepsis

Sepsis symptoms don’t always appear in the same way. Some common signs include:

• Feeling confused.
• Breathing fast.
• Sweating when you shouldn't be.
• Feeling dizzy.
• Shivering.

Symptoms can be different in kids compared to adults. Symptoms can vary depending on the specific type of infection. For example, painful urination from a urinary tract infection or worsening cough from pneumonia.

When sepsis moves into the septic shock stage, you might experience:

• Difficulty standing up.
• Strong sense of sleepiness.
• Major changes in mental status, such as extreme confusion.

TIME to catch sepsis

Remember TIME to catch sepsis early.

T for Temperature: Too high or too low

I for Infection: Signs of infection

M for Mental decline: Confusion

E for Extremely ill: Severe muscle pain or shortness of breath

Can sepsis return after treatment?

While many people recover completely from sepsis, others may have lasting effects like losing a limb or issues with organ function, like kidney failure. Other aftereffects of sepsis are less obvious.

• Memory loss
• Anxiety
• Depression
• Hospital readmission

As many as 19% of people originally hospitalized with sepsis are readmitted within 30 days and about 40% return within 90 days.

Sepsis prevention and treatment

Lowering your risk for sepsis includes:

• Practicing good hygiene.
• Staying current with vaccinations.
• Seeking treatment when an infection is suspected.

The sooner you catch sepsis, the better your chances of fully recovering. About 30% of people with severe sepsis experience death, and half of the survivors face post-sepsis syndrome.

People who experience sepsis, especially who progressed into septic shock, are usually cared for in an intensive care unit for support and close monitoring. Treatment of septic shock depends on the type of infection and can include:

• Antibiotics.
• Dynamic assessments of volume status.
• Fluids.
• Machines to help breathing.
• Medications to maintain blood pressure.

Until there is a cure, early detection and fast treatment of sepsis is essential to help you and your family stay safe and healthy.