Sepsis (patient information)

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Sepsis
Overview
What are the symptoms?
What are the causes?
Who is at highest risk?
When to seek urgent medical care?
Diagnosis
Treatment options
Where to find medical care for Sepsis?
What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?
Possible complications
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]

Overview

Sepsis is a severe illness in which the bloodstream is overwhelmed by bacteria.

What are the symptoms of Sepsis?

In sepsis, blood pressure drops, resulting in shock. Major organs and body systems, including the kidneys, liver, lungs, and central nervous system, stop working properly.

A change in mental status and hyperventilation may be the earliest signs of sepsis. In general, symptoms of sepsis can include:

Chills Confusion or delirium Decreased urine output Fever or low body temperature (hypothermia) Hyperventilation Lightheadedness due to low blood pressure Rapid heart beat Shaking Skin rash Warm skin

What causes Sepsis?

Sepsis is caused by a bacterial infection that can begin anywhere in the body. Common places where an infection might start include:

The bowel (usually seen with peritonitis) The kidneys (upper urinary tract infection or pyelonephritis) The lining of the brain (meningitis) The liver or the gall bladder The lungs (bacterial pneumonia) The skin (cellulitis)

In children, sepsis may accompany infection of the bone (osteomyelitis). In hospitalized patients, common sites of infection include intravenous lines, surgical wounds, surgical drains, and sites of skin breakdown known as bedsores (decubitus ulcers).

Who is at highest risk?

Any infectious site can lead to sepsis if not taken proper care

When to seek urgent medical care?

Call a doctor if you develop symptoms of sepsis

Diagnosis

The infection is often confirmed by a blood test. However, a blood test may not reveal infection in people who have been receiving antibiotics.

Other tests that may be done include:

Blood gases Kidney function tests Platelet count White blood cell count Blood differential Fibrin degradation products Peripheral smear

Treatment options

If you have sepsis, you will be admitted to a hospital, usually the intensive care unit (ICU). Antibiotics are given through a vein (intravenously).Oxygen, fluids given through a vein, and medications that increase blood pressure may be needed. Dialysis may be necessary if there is kidney failure. A breathing machine (mechanical ventilation) is necessary if there is lung failure.For some patients, treatment with powerful anti-inflammatory medications called corticosteroids or recombinant human activated protein C may be helpful.

Where to find medical care for Sepsis?

Directions to Hospitals Treating Sepsis

What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?

Sepsis is often life threatening, especially in people with a weakened immune system or with a chronic illness.

Possible complications

Death Disseminated intravascular coagulation Problems with blood flow to vital organs (brain, heart, kidneys) Septic shock