Sepsis victims often get hospitalized

Annually 50,000 deaths due to sepsis

09/04/2013

Sepsis killed 50,000 people in 2011. Every year around 200,000 people fall ill with the colloquially known as blood poisoning inflammatory reaction, which is often diagnosed late, especially in the outpatient area. Because the symptoms are similar to the symptoms that occur with a flu. Frequently, sufferers in the hospital become infected after pneumonia or as a result of surgery. At a congress of the German Sepsis Society and the Jena University Hospital, experts are currently discussing ways to improve patients' chances of survival.

Sepsis can often be prevented by more consistent hand disinfection
„Two-thirds of those affected acquire sepsis through an infection in the hospital, "explained intensive care physician Frank Brunkhorst to the news agency „dpa“. A more consistent hand disinfection would prevent infection, according to a study. In addition, help a vaccine „Many sepsis cases are consequences of pneumonia, and before that protects the pneumococcal vaccine, "said the expert.

It is important to prevent the onset of sepsis in advance because, according to a study by the University Hospital Jena, only one in three patients survived the blood poisoning after a period of 12 months. As Brunkhorst explained, sepsis is often diagnosed late. „Recognizing sepsis is not easy, because the first signs of a severe flu are similar, "said the physician. „In the hospital it sometimes happens that a sepsis is overslept, but the biggest gaps exist in the outpatient area. "According to Brunkhorst, the training of doctors must therefore be improved, because the chances of survival of patients fall significantly if the blood poisoning is late is recognized and treated.

As part of a congress of the German Sepsis Society and the University Hospital Jena, specialist lectures and discussions on sepsis will take place in Weimar until Friday.

Signs of sepsis
While many people mistakenly believe that blood poisoning is a red line on the skin that progresses toward the heart as the disease progresses, other symptoms usually appear in reality. A red line merely indicates that inflammation takes place in the lymphatics. But that is rarely the case. Most patients with sepsis suffer from flu-like symptoms such as fever and general weakness. In addition, confusion and mental changes often occur because the brain is the first organ affected. There may also be breathing problems and signs of circulatory failure. The general condition of the affected person usually deteriorates rapidly, so that the fastest possible medical help is required.

In most cases, blood poisoning is triggered by germs that enter the body through open wounds, for example during or after an operation, and trigger an inflammatory process. The pathogens can spread through the bloodstream in the entire organism and infect all organs, if no treatment takes place. The oxygen supply to the organs then worsens and the patient becomes visibly weaker until ultimately individual organs fail. If the doctors fail to contain the inflammation, the circulation completely fails in the last stage of the disease and the patient dies. (Ag)