Sepsis is one of the 10 most common causes of death by disease in the U.S., but many people still don’t know what exactly it is.
Sepsis is a life-threatening complication of an infection. It affects more than 1.5 million Americans each year, and unfortunately, about 250,000 Americans die from sepsis each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
There is no one cause of sepsis.
Sepsis happens when chemicals released in a person’s bloodstream to fight an infection trigger damaging inflammation throughout their body, according to the Mayo Clinic. This can cause a wave of changes in the body that can damage a person’s organs, causing them to fail.
Sepsis can be caused by a variety of illnesses, including pneumonia, bloodstream infections, an abdominal infection, a UTI, and even a cut, Amesh A. Adalja, M.D., a board-certified infectious disease physician and affiliated scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security, tells SELF.
And sepsis doesn’t discriminate—it impacts people of all ages. “Anyone can develop sepsis but certain people are at increased risk such as the elderly, those with cancer, and people with compromised immune systems, Richard Watkins, M.D., M.S., F.A.C.P., F.I.D.S.A., an infectious disease physician and associate professor of internal medicine at Northeast Ohio Medical University, tells SELF.
Sepsis occurs when an infection gets out of control, but not all infections will get to the level of sepsis.
There are several stages of sepsis and each has its own symptoms that are crucial to know, as sepsis is a progressively worsening condition. “We know that mortality with sepsis is directly linked to how quickly people receive effective treatment,” Dr. Adalja says.
The first stage is simply called “sepsis” and in order to be diagnosed with it, people must have two or more of the following symptoms, plus an infection, per the Mayo Clinic: a body temperature above 101 degrees or below 96.8 degrees, a heart rate higher than 90 beats a minute, and a respiratory rate higher than 20 breaths a minute.
If someone has one of the following symptoms, they’ll be upgraded to what’s known as “severe sepsis,” the Mayo Clinic says: significantly decreased urine output, an abrupt change in mental status, decrease in platelet count, difficulty breathing, abnormal heart pumping function, or abdominal pain. These suggest that an organ may be failing, the organization says.
The final stage of sepsis is known as “septic shock,” and people who are diagnosed with this stage must have the signs and symptoms of severe sepsis, as well as extremely low blood pressure that doesn’t get better with treatment, according to the Mayo Clinic. “Septic shock is not 100 percent fatal, but it is the severest form of sepsis,” Dr. Adalja says. “There are cases of sepsis that are not salvageable and medication can’t reverse what has happened.”
While sepsis can be deadly, it’s also possible to recover from it.
Depending on the stage that a person is at when they’re diagnosed, they may be able to be treated with antibiotics and IV fluids, Dr. Watkins says. However, some people may need blood pressure medication and a ventilator. Most people fully recover from the condition when it’s caught early, although people can die from it if it progresses too far, he says. According to the CDC, one in three patients who die in a hospital die from sepsis.
There can also be lingering effects from sepsis if it’s diagnosed in the later stages. You may need medication to support blood pressure or dialysis if kidney function doesn’t recover. You could also lose limbs due to a lack of blood supply or suffer mental defects, Dr. Adalja says. “Many people do not go back to their normal level of functioning if it’s caught late,” he says.
If you suspect that you or a loved one has developed the condition, seek medical care immediately and ask “Could it be sepsis?”
Again, time is important when it comes to sepsis, William Schaffner, M.D., an infectious disease specialist and professor at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine, tells SELF. “Even with the best treatment, it’s going to be a very serious disease and it carries with it a notable fatality rate.”
While many hospitals now have protocols to check for the condition, it may simply not be on a doctor’s radar, especially if you’re an otherwise healthy person.
And, of course, don’t assume that any infection you get will turn into sepsis. Many people are able to fight an infection just fine with proper treatment. But it’s important to know the signs of sepsis just in case.
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