There is a quiet, deadly ailment lurking in the shadows called sepsis. This silent killer claims 11 million lives globally every year, yet remains a mystery to many.
According to Sepsis Alliance Research, Sepsis is a life-threatening emergency that happens when your body’s response to an infection damages vital organs and, often, causes death. In other words, it’s your body’s overactive and toxic response to an infection. Like strokes or heart attacks, sepsis is a medical emergency that requires rapid diagnosis and treatment. Sepsis can lead to severe sepsis and septic shock.
You may have heard the term “blood poisoning” used instead of sepsis. Blood poisoning is not an accurate description of sepsis.
Your immune system usually works to fight any germs (bacteria, viruses, fungi, or parasites) to prevent infection. If an infection does occur, your immune system will try to fight it, although you may need help with medication such as antibiotics, antivirals, antifungals, and antiparasitics. However, for reasons researchers don’t understand, sometimes the immune system stops fighting the “invaders,” and begins to turn on itself. This is the start of sepsis.
Some people are at higher risk of developing sepsis because they are at higher risk of contracting an infection. These include the very young (infants), the very old, those with chronic illnesses, and those with a weakened or impaired immune system. People who are malnourished can also contract infections more easily.
Sepsis begins its insidious journey when an infection, whether from a simple cut, a urinary tract infection or pneumonia triggers a chain reaction in the body. The immune system, usually a loyal defender, goes into overdrive. It releases chemicals into the bloodstream to fight the infection, but sometimes this response spirals out of control, causing widespread inflammation. Blood flow to vital organs becomes impaired, leading to tissue damage and organ failure. The body’s defence mechanism turns against itself, and within hours, a seemingly minor infection can escalate into a life-threatening emergency.
One of the most insidious aspects of sepsis is its ability to masquerade as less severe illness. Symptoms such as fever, chills, rapid breathing, and confusion can easily be mistaken for the flu or a respiratory infection. This makes early detection a challenge, and many people do not realize the gravity of their condition until it is too late.
“Patients are diagnosed with sepsis when they develop a set of signs and symptoms related to sepsis. Sepsis is not diagnosed based on an infection itself. If you have more than one of the symptoms of sepsis, especially if there are signs of an infection or you fall into one of the higher-risk groups, your doctor will likely suspect sepsis.
Sepsis progresses to severe sepsis when in addition to signs of sepsis, there are signs of organ dysfunction, such as difficulty breathing (problems with the lungs), low or no urine output (kidneys), abnormal liver tests (liver), and changes in mental status (brain).
Septic shock is the most severe stage and is diagnosed when your blood pressure drops to dangerous levels. These patients are treated in the ICU and many physicians call them the “sickest people in the hospital.”
Sepsis is the number 1 cost of hospitalization in the U.S. Costs for acute sepsis hospitalization and skilled nursing are estimated to be $62 billion annually. This is only a portion of all sepsis-related costs since there are substantial additional costs after discharge for many.
The average cost per hospital stay for sepsis is double the average cost per stay across all other conditions. And, sepsis is the primary cause of readmission to the hospital, costing more than $3.5 billion each year.
Studies investigating survival and sepsis deaths have reported slightly different numbers, but it appears that on average, approximately 30% of patients diagnosed with severe sepsis do not survive. Up to 50% of survivors suffer from post-sepsis syndrome. Until a cure for sepsis is found, early detection and treatment is essential for survival and limiting disability for survivors.”
Joyce Oluwole, a sepsis survivor, knows this reality too well. Her journey began with what she thought was a simple case of sickness, believing once she gets to the doctor her health would be restored. But as days passed, her condition worsened, and the doctors couldn’t detect it was Sepsis until after three weeks in a coma which was already too late.
For three weeks, she lay in a coma as medical professionals fought to stabilize her by amputating her legs and seven fingers. Her story is recounted in her book “My Miraculous Survival after Sepsis,” a detailed book that stresses the importance of early diagnosis and the lifesaving role of timely medical intervention.
Despite the severity of sepsis, public awareness is still low. Many are unaware that sepsis can come from common infections or affect anyone, regardless of age or health status. The elderly, infants and those with weakened immune systems are particularly vulnerable, but even healthy individuals are not immune.
One of the challenges in combating sepsis is education. Symptoms such as extreme shivering, severe breathlessness, mottled or discoloured skin, and a sense of impending doom are red flags that should never be ignored. Public health campaigns and improved healthcare infrastructure are ways of reducing the death rate caused by Sepsis.
Hospitals and clinics must also be equipped to identify and treat sepsis quickly. This includes training staff to recognize symptoms, implementing protocols for early intervention, and ensuring access to necessary medications and treatments.
Sepsis may be a silent killer, but through efforts in education and healthcare, we can give it a voice. We can turn the tide against this ailment and save countless lives.
Promise Babatunde
