Sepsis is a medical emergency and requires immediate attention to prevent further complications or death. It may present different warning signs and symptoms at times, some of which may cause misidentification with other conditions. A septic infection may cause a fever, but may also cause low body temperature, cold extremities and shivering. There may be difficulty breathing or rapid breathing, as well as an increased heart rate, or conversely a weak pulse and low blood pressure. It may cause low urine output, as well as blue-tinted, mottled or abnormally pale skin, and an altered mental state. Finally, it may cause extreme body pain or discomfort, which makes it easy to confuse for influenza or food poisoning.
In children, sepsis may present through very fast breathing, convulsions, pale skin, lethargy or difficulty waking up or feeling abnormally cold to the touch. For children under 5 years, it may cause difficulty feeding, repeated vomiting or a lack of urination.
Suspecting sepsis and acting quickly is crucial for early recognition and diagnosis.
Sepsis
Sepsis is a life-threatening syndromic response to infection and frequently a final common pathway to death for many infectious diseases worldwide. It involves organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection and if
Sepsis is a life-threatening condition that arises when the body’s response to infection causes injury to its own tissues and organs. It is frequently a final common pathway to death for many infectious diseases worldwide. It involves organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection and if not recognized early and managed promptly, it can lead to septic shock, multiple organ failure and death. Although a precise estimate of the global epidemiological burden of sepsis is difficult to ascertain, a recent scientific publication reported that sepsis affects an estimated 49 million people and causes 11 million deaths globally every year.
- Log in to post comments
- 1 view