Sepsis, popularly known as blood poisoning, is an insidious and life-threatening disease that can affect anyone. Their symptoms are often non-specific and are therefore often overlooked. However, this disease should not be underestimated as it affects millions of people worldwide. Find out more about the dangers of sepsis and the timely recognition of specific symptoms.
In Germany, around 280,000 people are affected by sepsis every year. It is alarming that about a quarter of these patients do not win the battle against sepsis and die as a result. As the third most common cause of death in Germany, its importance should not be underestimated.
But what are the causes of blood poisoning and why is it so dangerous? In this article, you will learn more about this life-threatening condition and its risk factors.
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The silent threat
One Sepsis occurs when the body responds to an infection with an excessive immune response. The onset of blood poisoning is always associated with an infection. This can occur, for example, as a result of an external injury such as a scratch or an insect bite, but it can also be caused by an internal infection such as pneumonia or a urinary tract infection.
In most cases, the immune system responds as designed and successfully fights off the invading pathogens and keeps them at bay. For larger infections, this can also be supported by medication such as antibiotics.
However, if the infection spreads through the blood throughout the body and the pathogens gain the upper hand or are particularly aggressive, our immune system gets into a state in which it not only fights the pathogens but also damages our own organs. Bacteria, viruses or fungi that are normally harmless can lead to a life-threatening situation.
The speed at which a blood poisoning developed depends on the pathogens and the state of health of the patients. In any case, it quickly becomes dangerous. Sepsis can lead to organ failure, septic shock, and even death. Alarmingly, it can affect anyone, regardless of age, gender, or health condition. Therefore, it is always considered a medical emergency and must be treated accordingly.
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Recognize the warning signs
Die early detection of sepsis is crucial to reduce the risk of serious complications. It’s important to look out for certain warning signs that could indicate a possible sepsis. These include, among others:
High fever or hypothermia Fast heartbeat and shallow breathing Confusion or altered mental state Severe pain or discomfort Redness or inflammation of the skin Persistent vomiting or diarrhoea
If you notice one or more of these symptoms in yourself or your loved ones, do not hesitate to seek medical help. A quick response can save lives.
Possible preventive measures
There are various triggers for blood poisoning, as basically all infections and infectious diseases can lead to it. There is no single recipe for prevention, but in everyday life we can pay attention to a few simple things to reduce the risk of infection:
Regular hand washing and good hygiene when handling food are generally recommended. Open wounds should be cleaned thoroughly with water and treated with wound spray and a plaster or bandage. In the case of insect bites, it is important not to scratch to avoid the development of open wounds and to prevent the penetration of bacteria. Vaccinations against certain diseases such as influenza or pneumococci are useful. NOTE: The tetanus vaccine only protects against the tetanus bacteria, but does not help other bacteria, such as salmonella, which can cause blood poisoning. Infectious diseases should be evaluated and treated by a doctor. Antibiotics should be taken as directed by a doctor it is important to strengthen the immune system. The better the immune system is armed against invading pathogens, the more difficult it is for bacteria, viruses and fungi to damage it – not only in the case of blood poisoning.
Education can save lives:
9. BIGtalk digital: Anyone can get blood poisoning – recognize the warning signs!
To illustrate the danger again: In the hospital, sepsis causes more deaths than strokes and heart attacks combined. Many of these tragic courses or serious secondary diseases can be attributed to the fact that they are not recognized in time.
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For this reason, BIG directly healthy, in cooperation with the #DeutschlandErkenntSepsis campaign of the Aktionsbündnis Patient Safety eV, decided to address the topic as part of the 9. BIGtalk digital with the motto “Blood poisoning can affect anyone – recognize the warning signs!” and raise awareness about this serious illness.
Participants can look forward to a doctor and a person affected as speakers:
dr Matthew Gründling will explain in detail how to recognize sepsis and what measures should be taken immediately, because sepsis is always an emergency. dr Gründling is an intensive care physician who has been campaigning for fewer people to die from sepsis for many years. He is head of the quality management project SepsisDialog and the working group Clinical Sepsis Research at the Department of Anaesthesiology at the University Medical Center Greifswald.
Arne Trumann has experienced an emergency of sepsis himself. A supposedly harmless pharyngitis developed in him into sepsis. The now 56-year-old man hovered between life and death and had to have his fingertips amputated due to sepsis. Today he is actively involved in the board of the Deutsche Sepsis-Hilfe eV and is a member of the board of trustees of the Sepsis Foundation.
All further information can be found online at www.big-direkt.de/bigtalk