GP Alice Fitzgibbon explores a potentially life threatening condition
Back in September, you might have heard people or campaigns talking about sepsis. That’s because September is Sepsis awareness month. This is helpful for drawing attention to this life threatening condition, but that doesn’t mean we should forget about it the rest of the year! It is so important I want to draw attention again to sepsis as it might help you save a life.
So what is sepsis? Sepsis, also known as septicaemia or septic shock, is a serious life threatening condition that happens when the body’s immune system (the part of the body that fights off infection) overreacts in response to an infection. Now, this can be any infection, it doesn’t have to be a specific infection. Often we think of sepsis related to an infection like meningitis, but it can also happen with more common illnesses like chest infections or urine infections too.
Sepsis is life threatening and can happen to anyone – children or adults. Urgent medical care is needed to help. It is more common in certain groups of people:
- Babies aged less than 1 year old, especially if they are born prematurely
- Older adults aged over 75
- People with diabetes
- People with a weakened immune system (on chemotherapy, for example)
- People who have recently had surgery or another serious illness
- Women who have recently given birth, or had a miscarriage or an abortion.
Sepsis can be really hard to spot. That’s why it is important to know what to look out for. In some of the vulnerable groups listed above, it can be difficult to how unwell they are especially if it is a young baby or an older person who might have dementia.
In sepsis, you must call 999 or attend the nearest A&E department if there are any of the following signs:
- blue, pale or blotchy skin. On black or brown skin, blueness may be easier to see on the lips, tongue or gums, around the eyes or under the nails
- if the person is acting confused or has slurred speech (in an older child or adult)
- in babies or small children there may be a weak, high-pitched cry sounding different to their normal cry, a change in behaviour to be less responsive than normal or loss of interest in feeding
- a rash that does not fade when you roll a glass over it (as seen in meningitis)
- any signs of breathing difficulty (there may be grunting noises or their stomach sucking under their ribcage in children), breathlessness or breathing very fast.
Someone with sepsis may have some or all of these symptoms. If your gut instinct is telling you that something isn’t right or you are worried about yourself or someone else getting more unwell then please do not delay. If you are with someone and they suddenly become more unwell with suspected sepsis then call a 999 ambulance and tell the call handler. Sepsis is an emergency.
Sepsis can be managed best in hospital where antibiotics can be given (within 1 hour) and the infection can be treated. In some cases when people are very unwell they may develop organ failure or need a ventilator to help with breathing. Intensive care units help look after the most unwell patients while they have treatment.
Most people will make a full recovery from sepsis but, according to the UK Sepsis Trust, 52,000 people in the UK will die from it every year (including 1,000 children). Recovery from sepsis can take a long time, and some people will be left with physical or emotional side effects from being so unwell. It is important to have a paced recovery.
So please, once again, have a look at the signs of sepsis to be aware of. If there is any concern, seek medical advice. If sepsis crosses your mind then call for immediate help- it could save a life.
For further information on sepsis from the NHS visit https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/sepsis/
