Sepsis is a life-threatening reaction of your immune system to an infection in your body.
Symptoms of worsening infection require immediate medical attention. Time matters. If not treated quickly, sepsis can quickly lead to multiple organ failure (eg, liver, kidney or lung failure) and death.
Usually, the first symptoms are those associated with the source of infection, eg, a cough due to pneumonia (lung infection) or tummy pain from appendicitis. People with sepsis usually feel extremely unwell with 1 or more of the following symptoms.
Symptoms that indicate an infection is getting worse include
- fever and shaking, chills, waves of hot and cold
- feeling very unwell or exhausted
- fast breathing or feeling very short of breath
- passing less urine (pee) than usual
- dizziness, or changes in mental alertness, eg, confusion, drowsiness or disorientation.
What causes sepsis?
Sepsis is a condition caused by your body’s immune system responding abnormally to an infection, which can lead to tissue damage, organ failure เล่นบาคาร่า UFABET เว็บตรง ค่าคอมสูง and death. The infection can start anywhere in your body – it may be only in 1 part or it may be widespread. Your immune system usually works to fight any germs (bacteria, viruses, fungi) or to prevent infection. However, for reasons we don’t fully understand, sometimes the immune system goes into overdrive and starts to attack our organs and other tissues. Common infections leading to sepsis include the following (we’ve put the words that healthcare professionals use in brackets):
- chest infections (pneumonia)
- urine infections (urinary tract infection)
- leaks from the bowel (intra-abdominal sepsis)
- infections of skin (cellulitis), joint (septic arthritis) and bone (osteomyelitis)
- infection of the blood (bacteraemia) or heart (endocarditis).
Sepsis can lead to a drop in blood pressure which leads to your circulatory system being unable to provide enough oxygen and nutrients to the rest of your body. This leads to damage to various organs, eg, your lungs, heart, kidneys and brain. Multiple organ failure and death can result, especially if sepsis is not diagnosed early and treated quickly.
When sepsis is severe, you develop septic shock. This is when your blood pressure drops to a dangerously low level. This carries the highest risk of death and complications. Sepsis, especially if severe, needs urgent hospital treatment and may require admission to an intensive care unit (ICU). ICUs are able to support many affected body functions, eg, breathing or blood circulation.
Sepsis can occur at any age, but you’re at increased risk if you have a serious infection or a weakened immune system.
- are very young or very old
- have a weak immune system (due to chemotherapy or taking immunosuppressant drugs, eg, prednisone, which make it easier to get an infection)
- have had an organ transplant and are on anti-rejection medicines
- have a long-standing (chronic) disease, eg, diabetes, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) or kidney disease
- have severe liver disease
- have HIV or leukaemia
- have recently had surgery
- have wounds or injuries as a result of an accident
- have drips or catheters attached to your skin
- are pregnant or have just given birth.
Sepsis is a particular risk for people already in hospital because of another serious illness.