Sepsis death by dangerous blood poisoning

Many deaths from underestimated blood poisoning

09/14/2013

New figures indicate that in 2011 about 175,000 people in German hospitals were treated for blood poisoning. More than 50,000 patients died. Often the deaths could be prevented.

Over 50,000 deaths
In Germany hardly a disease is as underestimated as the sepsis, popularly also referred to as blood poisoning. New figures indicate that in 2011 about 175,000 people in this country were suffering from sepsis. 69,000 cases were severe sepsis and 19,000 were septic shock. The hospital mortality was 28.6 percent and is alarmingly high. In total, there were 50,100 deaths per year. ICU specialist Konrad Reinhart, chairman of the Global Sepsis Alliance (GSA), commented: „This makes Sepsis the third leading cause of death in Germany.“ He estimates that around a third of deaths would be avoidable.

World Sepsis Day
However, Reinhart complains that half of all Germans would not even know the term sepsis. And doctors are often not sufficiently informed. Often, the diagnosis is made too late for treatment. Since 2012, the World Sepsis Day takes place annually on September 13th to raise awareness of the dangers of the disease. More than 2,000 organizations and hospitals worldwide support the day.

Organ systems can fail
In a sepsis, the pathogens, which are mostly bacteria, get from a hearth into the bloodstream, with which they are transported to all body organs. There it comes to infectious stray soils, the septic metastases. In addition, the pathogens can multiply in the blood. A serious complication can be septic shock. In the worst case, several organ systems can fail at the same time within a very short time and thus lead to death.

Various signs of blood poisoning
There are several signs of sepsis, but not all of them have to occur simultaneously. The most important symptom is high fever, which increases rapidly in turn and drops to normal levels within 24 hours, from where it rises again, and so on. Often the disease is accompanied by chills. In addition, tachycardia, severe breathing problems, and a drop in blood pressure can occur. „ Confusion and other mental changes also suggest sepsis“, so Reinhart. However, there are no clear signs of blood poisoning, all symptoms could also point to a different disease. However, if several of the signs appear together, the emergency room of a hospital should be consulted in case of doubt.

Red stripe no clear sign
It is widely believed that it is safe to see blood poisoning from a red streak on the skin and that it becomes dangerous when it approaches the heart. But the strip is by no means a clear early warning sign. Reinhart explains: „It occurs in only about one percent of all sepsis cases.“ Often, this red stripe is merely an indication of inflammation and not sepsis. In the worst case, however, such inflammation could lead to blood poisoning and therefore a doctor's visit is advisable.

Pneumonia as a trigger
„More than half of all sepsis diseases are caused by pneumonia“, so Reinhart. Secondly, according to the expert, abdominal diseases followed, such as cecal or gall bladder infections, followed by urinary tract infections. But even an inflamed tooth or a cut on the finger could be a source of infection. It becomes critical when the immune system of the body is weakened, such as in diabetes, cancer or after surgery. Then there is the danger of developing blood poisoning.

Blood poisoning is a medical emergency
In a sepsis you should not torch long. It's a medical emergency that can count every hour. For example, sufferers who detect and treat the infection within the first hour have a chance of survival of 80 percent. If trading takes only six hours, the chance is only 30 percent. Therefore, in case of suspected blood poisoning, a clinic should be visited immediately and not just the family doctor. However, hospitals also have an infection risk. The Jena intensive care physician Prof. Frank Brunkhorst said in an interview with the Frankfurter Rundschau: „Two-thirds of those affected acquire sepsis from an infection in the hospital. The patients who come to the hospital are usually seriously ill, have a weakened immune system and are therefore particularly susceptible to infections.“

There is an acute danger to life
In sepsis patients would come to an intensive care unit because of the acute mortal danger, where they would immediately receive an antibiotic. The doctors tried to stabilize circulation and blood pressure so that the organs would not fail. Sepsis patients would therefore also be given large amounts of fluid via the veins and oxygen and possibly medication. Heart, circulation and respiration would need to be constantly monitored and the site of inflammation found to treat it.

Clean and disinfect injuries
Preventing infections and their spread is the best way to avoid sepsis. Therefore, even the smallest injuries, inflammations and pus should always be cleaned and disinfected. In addition, vaccinations help to reduce the risk of illness. „Most sepsis cases are the result of pneumonia and pneumococcal vaccine protection“, Explains Reinhart. Many blood poisoning could also be prevented by better hygiene. In operating theaters, patients often receive preventive antibiotics because of a particularly high risk of infection from major surgical procedures and serious injuries. Prof. Brunkhorst referred to a further prevention potential in the clinics: „A key issue is hand disinfection, which is not ideal in Germany. From 100 moments where you have to disinfect your hands, 20 to 40 are respected; if you're good, it's 60. You have to tackle that - see if the donor is in the right place and train the staff.“ (Ad)