A recent article by the New York Times describes sepsis,
which is a life-threatening complication of an infection, as a ruthless condition
where, “the body’s own immune response turns into a tornado of self-destruction
that picks up speed”. For this reason,
it is highly important that sepsis be identified as soon as possible so that
the proper action can be taken. A
clinical description of sepsis from the Mayo Clinic is that it is a three-stage
condition that begins with sepsis, develops into severe sepsis and eventually
can become septic shock.
Sepsis can be difficult to diagnose
It can be difficult to properly diagnose sepsis because
during its initial stages symptoms such as a fever, rapid heartbeat and
confusion may appear, which are symptoms that show up in other illnesses. There are multiple causes of this infection:
immune systems that have been weakened due to either HIV, cancer treatments, or
other causes, or even drug resistant-bacteria which has become resistant to the
effects of antibiotics that killed them at one point in time. According to the Mayo Clinic, these
antibiotic-resistant bacteria are many times the source of the infections that
lead to sepsis. However, sometimes
unusual circumstances can bring about an episode of sepsis.
Septic shock ends in tragedy
As an unfortunate example, 12-year-old New Yorker boy named
Rory Staunton passed away due to sepsis, and it all started when he cut his arm
while diving for a basketball at school.
The day after receiving the cut he woke up and was vomiting, febrile,
and had pain in his leg. He became
sicker as the day progressed. He went to
his pediatrician later that evening, vomited on him, and he went to the
emergency room where he was given anti-nausea drugs, Tylenol and IV fluids. His blood was drawn, and ultimately, the
hospital diagnosed him with a stomach bug on Thursday night. However, he returned to the hospital the next
evening and his organs were failing. The
blood test was analyzed, and it revealed that he had extraordinarily high
levels of white blood cells and that his body was in an escalating fight
against infection. By that Sunday, Rory
had passed away from severe septic shock.
As stated by the New York Times article, sepsis is the chief cause of
death in hospitals, and it kills more people in our country than AIDS, prostate
cancer and breast cancer combined, according to information from the New York
State Health Department.
Have you been a victim of sepsis?
Please call our office immediately for a free consultation if
you or a family member have been diagnosed with sepsis or have been
experiencing any of the above-mentioned symptoms. It is important to act as soon as possible
when dealing with this merciless condition to receive proper treatment and stop
it before it progresses to the third phase, septic shock.
SOURCES
http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/sepsis/symptoms-causes/dxc-20169787
