The Medical Advisor

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition triggered by a systemic infection, ultimately affecting the function of your vital organs. The infection is sometimes referred to as "blood poisoning" by the public. According to a study tracking data in two different hospital cohorts, 34.7% to 55.9% of American patients who died in hospitals between 2010 and 2012 had sepsis at the time of their death, depending on which inpatient cohort they were in. 1 The condition does not discriminate and affects all age groups, socioeconomic groups and genders. A successful outcome relies on early detection and rapid treatment. Experts are calling for recognition 2  of sepsis as a distinct cause of death, hoping this will result in better clinical practice guidelines, stressing awareness in the community and the ER, which may reduce the overall number of deaths. Infections that progress to sepsis in the hospital may increase risk of death. Researcher...

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition triggered by a systemic infection that causes your body to overreact and launch an excessive and highly damaging immune response. Unless promptly diagnosed and treated, it can rapidly progress to multiple-organ failure and death. A number of studies have shown sepsis is becoming ever more prevalent, making it imperative to be on the lookout for its signs and symptoms whenever you're ill or in the hospital. This includes cases of suspected influenza, as sepsis can mimic many of the signs and symptoms of the flu. In fact, sepsis is one of the leading causes for influenza deaths. Studies have also identified sepsis as a top cause of death in hospitals, and one of the primary causes of serious harm due to misdiagnosis. Findings show that: In the U.S., 1.7 million adults develop sepsis each year, and nearly 270,000 die as a result. 1 Between 34.7% and 55.9% of American patients who died in...