SEPSIS 101: The Silent Killer You Need To Know About
Introduction
Here’s a conversation between two best friends:
Jen: Hey! What’s up?
Ben: All good here. What’s new?
Jen: You know my neighbor almost lost his life because of sepsis. 🙁
Ben: Wait, what?! Hope he’s okay now. But Jen, what even is sepsis?
So, dear readers, what exactly is Sepsis?
Consider your immune system as the body’s own superhero – constantly on guard, prepared to combat any intruder, be it a bacteria, a virus, or a fungus. However,
there are instances when even superheroes can lose control. Imagine if your favorite superhero started beating everything in sight, trying to stop the villain. Sure, they’d take down the bad guy, but the collateral damage could be catastrophic.
That’s precisely what occurs during sepsis. Sepsis is a severe, life-threatening condition that arises when the body’s defense system goes from being a smart protector to an overzealous destroyer in response to an infection. It is a medical crisis, if not addressed promptly, sepsis can advance rapidly, resulting in organ failure or potentially death.
So we have now understood what sepsis is, but how does it develop?
Sepsis begins when an infection triggers a series of reactions in your body. Here’s how it happens
❖ Source of Infection: This is the most important factor. Infections anywhere in the body, such as pneumonia (lung infection), urinary tract infections, abdominal infections like appendicitis, or bacteraemia (blood infection), can result in sepsis.
❖ Body’s Immune Response: When the body senses an infection, the immune system releases chemicals to fight off the invaders (bacteria, viruses, or fungi). This is a typical and safeguarding reaction.
❖ Excessive Inflammation: In sepsis, however, the immune response goes rogue. Instead of attacking the infective organism, the immune system releases excessive chemicals, causing widespread inflammation.
This leads to:
- Leaky blood vessels cause fluid to enter tissues leading to swelling.
- Blood clots- they can obstruct blood flow to vital organs.
- Low blood pressure, can deprive essential organs of oxygen and nutrients.
❖ Organ Damage: The chain of inflammatory reactions and widespread damage can escalate rapidly, resulting in organ failure. Organs such as the heart, kidneys, liver, and lungs can begin to malfunction, resulting in serious health issues.
This is why sepsis is considered a medical emergency, requiring swift intervention.
But will all infections lead to sepsis? No.
Let us understand the groups of people who are at higher risk for developing sepsis.
❖ The elderly: Aging can weaken the immune system, increasing the risk of sepsis in older adults.
❖ Infants and children: Their immune systems are still not fully developed.
❖ People with chronic health conditions, like diabetes, cancer, liver disease, or kidney disease are more prone to infections, which may lead to sepsis.
❖Immunocompromised people: Those receiving chemotherapy, organ transplants, or people with HIV/AIDS have a weak immune system and face an increased risk.
❖ Individuals with open wounds or invasive devices, like catheters, or post-surgical wounds can act as entry points for infections.
If sepsis is not treated promptly, it can progress to more severe stages
- Sepsis: is the early stage during which the body begins reacting to an infection with widespread symptoms such as fever, accelerated heart rate, rapid breathing, confusion, or extreme pain.
- Severe Sepsis: If sepsis progresses, it may result in organ dysfunction, such as kidney failure, breathing difficulties, or alterations in mental state caused by inadequate blood supply.
- Septic Shock: This is the most severe and critical stage, marked by extremely low blood pressure that remains unmanageable despite fluid resuscitation. This usually leads to multi-organ failure, making it extremely deadly and often fatal without prompt action.
Identifying Sepsis
How would you identify whether anyone, for instance, an old pal having an infection might go into sepsis? In such cases, seek medical attention at the earliest. Identifying sepsis can be challenging because its symptoms often mimic those of other illnesses. A swift and accurate diagnosis is critical.
The doctors look for the following red flags
- Signs of Infection: Fever, chills, or other symptoms (e.g., cough, painful/ burning urination, or redness around a wound).
- Systemic Symptoms: accelerated heart rate, rapid breathing, confusion, or extreme discomfort.
- Certain Blood Tests:
- White Blood Cell (WBC) Count: A high or low count is one of the criteria for diagnosis
- LDH: Elevated lactate levels
- Blood Cultures: Identifying the infectious organism aids in treatment.
- Organ-specific tests: to assess kidney and liver function for further organ damage.
Once diagnosed, how do you treat sepsis?
Sepsis management requires prompt hospitalization.
The treatment includes:
- Antibiotics: Broad-spectrum antibiotics are the first-line treatment to fight bacterial infections. These can be modified after the specific pathogen is detected via a blood culture.
- 2. Intravenous Fluids: Fluids are administered to maintain blood pressure and enhance circulation to essential organs.
- Oxygen Supplementation: To ensure organs receive enough oxygen, patients might require additional oxygen or mechanical ventilation.
- Drugs (vasopressors)– used to stabilize extremely low blood pressure.
- Surgical Intervention: In certain cases, surgery is necessary to eliminate the source of infection, like draining an abscess or treating an infected wound. In severe sepsis and septic shock, ICU (intensive care unit) admission is necessary to monitor organ function and provide life-support measures.
Preventing Sepsis
Since sepsis is such a serious condition, one must think of ways to prevent it. While not all cases of sepsis can be prevented, there are steps one can take to reduce the risk:
- Treat Infections early: Do not overlook signs of infection. Seek medical advice promptly.
- Stay Updated on Vaccinations: Vaccines for pneumonia, flu, and other preventable diseases can reduce the chances of infections that lead to sepsis.
- Maintain Good Hygiene: Wash your hands regularly and thoroughly to prevent infections.
- Treat Wounds without delay: Clean and protect injuries to prevent infections. If a wound appears red, swollen, or painful, consult a healthcare professional.
- Monitor Chronic Illnesses: If you suffer from diabetes or any other chronic diseases, keep them well-controlled to lower the risk of infection. 6. Be Careful with Invasive Devices: Catheters, and other medical devices can introduce bacteria. Maintain appropriate care and hygiene while using them.
Take home message: Intervening Early can Save Lives.
Sepsis is a medical emergency, but it does not have to be a death sentence. Identifying the symptoms early, seeking prompt medical help, and adhering to preventive measures can significantly lessen its impact. Think of sepsis as a ticking time bomb that ignites with a spark but can explode without warning. Proper awareness and timely intervention are the keys to defusing it. If you or someone you care about thinks they have sepsis, do not hesitate—seek medical attention immediately. In this battle, time is your most critical ally. Stay informed, stay vigilant, and help spread awareness because knowledge truly has the power to save lives.
