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Sepsis
Introduction
Sepsis is a serious condition in which the body responds improperly to an infection. The infection-fighting processes turn on the body, causing the organs to work poorly.
Sepsis may progress to septic shock. This is a dramatic drop in blood pressure that can damage the lungs, kidneys, liver and other organs. When the damage is severe, it can lead to death.
Early treatment of sepsis improves chances for survival.
Pathophysiology of Sepsis
Diagnosis of Sepsis
Guidelines published in 2016 provide a revised definition of sepsis: life-threatening organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response to infection. The guidelines define septic shock as sepsis with circulatory, cellular, and metabolic dysfunction that is associated with a higher risk of mortality. The measurement of serum lactate has been incorporated into the latest septic shock definition. The guidelines recommend the Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (original and quick versions) as an important tool for early diagnosis (Gauer, Forbes, and Boyer 2020).
high (>101°F [>38°C]) or low (<96.8°F [<36°C]) temperature.
tachycardia.
tachypnea.
acutely altered mental status.
poor capillary refill, mottling of the skin, or ashen appearance.
signs associated with specific source of infection.
low oxygen saturation.
arterial hypotension.
Treatment of Sepsis
Timely diagnosis is crucial for the outcomes for patients with sepsis and septic shock. The fact is that the sepsis care bundles have been modified to increasingly shorter time determinants, which emphasizes the importance of emergency physicians, who frequently first recognize and begin emergency treatment of septic patients (Srzić, Nesek Adam, and Tunjić Pejak 2022).
