Could it be Sepsis?
WHAT IS SEPSIS?
September is Sepsis awareness month and we as a PCN would like to encourage a greater understanding of this condition. Without quick treatment, sepsis can lead to multiple organ failure and death – so it’s important to recognise the signs and seek appropriate treatment.
Sepsis (also known as blood poisoning) is the immune system’s overreaction to an infection or injury. Normally our immune system fights infection – but sometimes, for reasons we don’t yet understand, it attacks our body’s own organs and tissues. If not treated immediately, sepsis can result in organ failure and death. Yet with early diagnosis, it can be treated with antibiotics.
5 people die with sepsis every hour in the UK. By helping us to reach more people with the signs of sepsis. By spreading this information we can work towards ending preventable deaths from this condition.
SYMPTOMS
Sepsis can initially look like flu, gastroenteritis or a chest infection. There is no one sign, and sepsis symptoms present differently between adults and children.
HOW TO SPOT SEPSIS IN ADULTS
Seek medical help urgently if you (or another adult) develop any of these signs:
- Slurred speech or confusion
- Extreme shivering or muscle pain
- Passing no urine (in a day)
- Severe breathlessness
- It feels like you’re going to die
- Skin mottled or discoloured
HOW TO SPOT SEPSIS IN CHILDREN
A child may have sepsis if he or she:
- Is breathing very fast
- Has a ‘fit’ or convulsion
- Looks mottled, bluish, or pale
- Has a rash that does not fade when you press it
- Is very lethargic or difficult to wake
- Feels abnormally cold to touch
If you spot any of these signs, call 999 or go straight to A&E and just ask: “could it be sepsis?”
A child under 5 may have sepsis if he or she:
- Is not feeding
- Is vomiting repeatedly
- Has not passed urine for 12 hours
If you spot any of these signs, call 111 or see your GP and just ask: “could it be sepsis?”
For more information click see below to visit some useful websites.