Massive increase in blood poisoning

Blood poisoning will increase significantly in the future

08/09/2011

Blood poisoning is increasing significantly throughout Germany. The German Sepsis Society sees this as one of the major medical problems of the future, because in an increasingly older society, this trend is likely to increase significantly in the coming years.

The number of blood poisoning will increase significantly in the future, according to the warning of the German Sepsis Society (DSG) at the start of the fifth International Sepsis Congress in Weimar. Even today, up to 150,000 blood poisonings are recorded in Germany every year, with the majority of illnesses occurring during hospitalization, the DSG experts explained. The massive increase in blood poisoning is particularly worrying, according to the chairman of the German Sepsis Society, Tobias Welte, because the mortality of sepsis patients is 30 to 50 percent.

Causes of an increased occurrence of blood poisoning
In the opinion of the Chairman of the DSG, future blood-poisoning could become one of the biggest medical problems in the course of demographic change „people just do not get older healthy“. For example, according to Tobias Welte, older people are increasingly suffering from chronic diseases that significantly increase the risk of sepsis. In addition, the widespread use of plastic materials such as catheters and breathing tubes, an increased risk of infection and thus an increase in blood poisoning result, explained Welte. Also, more and more elderly, already vulnerable people operated on, which increases the number of blood poisoning in addition, the statement of the expert. Last but not least, seriously injured people can be kept alive much longer today than they were a few years ago and are usually also subject to a significantly higher risk of infection and sepsis, the DSG experts explained their conclusion of a massive increase in blood poisoning. In addition, the occurrence of blood poisoning is furthered by the steadily declining number of nurses, added DSG General Secretary Frank Brunkhorst.

Blood poisoning as a result of bacterial infections
According to the German Sepsis Society, blood poisoning usually occurs as a result of bacterial infections, whereby the bacteria can settle in even the tiniest wounds and proliferate relatively quickly if the immune system fails to perform well. Inflammations of the wound are the immediate consequence. If no medical treatment is initiated, the bacteria and their toxins (toxins) can spread through the bloodstream, infecting other organs as well. This spread in the organism severely impairs the oxygen supply to the organs and threatens multi-organ failure, where vital function of organs such as kidney, lung or liver can no longer be sustained. If there is no medical treatment, the person is threatened with death within a few hours.

Therefore, according to the DSG, rapid action is crucial for successful sepsis therapy. Early diagnosis and prompt sepsis therapy can significantly improve the survivors' chances of survival, said Global Sepsis Alliance Chairman and Director of the Jena Intensive Care Clinic, Konrad Reinhart. According to the expert, the mortality rate of sepsis patients increases by seven percent every hour. Thus, the survival prospects in the first hour after the onset of sepsis symptoms are still around 80 percent, one day later, however, only at ten percent, said Reinhart. Therefore, the development of better diagnostic procedures is all the more important, emphasized the chairman of the Global Sepsis Alliance.

Breathlessness, palpitations and fever as signs of blood poisoning
Overall, the clinical picture of blood poisoning is extremely unspecific, making the diagnosis much more difficult, said DSG Chairman, Tobias Welte. Clearly, a sepsis can be detected with the help of a blood test, but when this is done, the disease is often already well advanced. According to the DSG, those affected often show influenza-like symptoms and fever in advance. Also, accelerated breathing, increased heart rate and low blood pressure can be signs of sepsis. „Those who also suffer from changes in consciousness such as hallucinations or confusion, respiratory distress and tachycardia, probably have blood poisoning“, explained Konrad Reinhart. In such cases, a doctor should be consulted immediately and, upon confirmation of the suspicion, initiate a referral to the intensive care unit, warn the experts. On the other hand, the red line, which is a clear symptom of blood poisoning and moves from the wound towards the heart, is not always a reliable sign. Because the red line „merely indicates that inflammation spreads in the lymphatics“, explained DSG General Secretary Brunkhorst.

Blood poisoning through hospitalization?
The DSG critically assesses the number of blood-poisoning cases that occur during hospitalization. Both in the intensive care and in the normal wards, the patients are subject to a significantly higher risk of blood poisoning, said the DSG Secretary General. About two-thirds of all blood poisoning goes back to hospital treatment, according to Brunkhorst. It accounts for about 20 percent of the blood poisoning in the clinics „potentially preventable“, explained the expert. According to the General Secretary of DSG, in addition to complying with hygiene regulations - especially hand disinfection - improved training of staff could, in the long term, significantly reduce blood poisoning. The current staff shortage of nurses, however, contributes in the view of DSG Secretary General, which is expected to continue with increasing case numbers. The chairman of the German Sepsis Society added that, if no countermeasures are taken, blood poisoning would become one in the course of an aging society „the mega-problems of the future“ could develop. (Fp)

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