Sepsis is a common cause of death in the hospital

According to a new report, sepsis, a life-threatening reaction to infection, is a common cause of death in hospitals.

The study involved 568 people who died in hospitals and whose average age was 70 years old. More than half of them had sepsis, which was the immediate cause of the deaths of nearly 200 of them; Another 100 people have had sepsis but have not died. The researchers determined that only 36 deaths from sepsis could have been prevented through previous antibiotic therapy or other measures.

Dr. Chanu Rhee, infectious disease physician at Brigham and Women's Hospital and lead author of the study, said many hospitalized patients with sepsis are elderly, frail, with multiple diseases, and often terminally ill, and do not survive even when they receive timely and appropriate care.

"Any preventable death due to sepsis is a tragedy," said Dr. Rhee, "but there is a perception that deaths from sepsis are preventable, and this study challenges this perception."

According to a center for disease control and prevention, between one million and three million Americans are diagnosed each year and between 15 and 30% of them will die. And although sepsis primarily affects people over 65, children are also susceptible; In the United States, more than 42,000 children develop sepsis each year, resulting in 4,400 deaths, according to one estimate.

Symptoms of sepsis include chills or fever, extreme pain or discomfort, moist or clammy skin, confusion or disorientation, shortness of breath, and high heart rate. If you are worried, one of your loved ones might be suffering from sepsis, immediately consult a doctor and ask the doctor: "Is there any sepsis?"

"What I retain from this study is that we need to be even more vigilant to detect sepsis earlier in these vulnerable patients," said Dr. Steven Simpson, medical director of the Sepsis Alliance and professor of medicine. pulmonary and critical care at the university. from Kansas. "People with cancer, heart failure, nephropathy and lung disease need to be informed:" Sepsis is your worst enemy. These are the signs you should look for. "