Sepsis is a life-threatening medical condition that can affect anyone at any time. Awareness and a quick diagnosis are important factors in limiting its effects – especially because sepsis is frequently undetected or misdiagnosed during the early stages, which is when it’s typically the most treatable.
While sepsis can’t always be prevented, increased awareness and understanding risks can help. Organizations locally and around the world are raising awareness by setting up initiatives regarding the condition.
Deadly infection
Mount Carmel Health System
Dr. Paul Zeeb
Dr. Paul Zeeb, an emergency medicine physician at Mount Carmel, says sepsis can be very deadly.
“Sepsis is a killer. Sepsis is an abnormal response by your body to infection, which results in organ damage, organ failure and frequently death,” says Zeeb.
Sepsis can develop from any infection which can range from something as small as a bug bite to more serve infections such as pneumonia. Certain groups of people are at higher risk including young children, the elderly and those who have chronic illnesses or impaired immune systems.
Zeeb says the most common sepsis causes he has seen are from urinary tract infections, pneumonia, skin infections, chronic medical problems such as diabetes and post-surgical complications.
According to Pan American Health Organization (PAHO), each year about 31 million people globally develop sepsis and about 6 million die from it. Sepsis is responsible for about 20 percent of all deaths globally.
Zeeb says there are ways you can reduce the risk of sepsis such as keeping up with vaccinations, practicing good hygiene such as washing hands, taking medications and other simple infectious disease protocols.
Global knowledge
designua/Adobe Stock
Organizations are now identifying sepsis as a major health crisis and are developing programs to combat it.
Last fall, PAHO approved a new strategy and action plan to address sepsis that will be implemented starting this year through 2029. The goal of the initiative is to strengthen the public health response to sepsis through increased social awareness and community involvement in healthcare.
The action plan is split into three, main strategic areas.
The first strategic area is raising awareness and early detection by enhancing education and research of sepsis.
The second is preventing infections, as it is the most effective way to prevent sepsis. PAHO wants to focus on expanding vaccination coverage, improving access to water and sanitation and strengthening hygienic control practices in healthcare facilities.
The third and final strategic area is ensuring equitable access to healthcare. This will help ensure rapid and effective diagnosis and treatment at all levels of care.
PAHO is not the only organization addressing sepsis.
Sepsis Alliance saves lives and reduces sepsis through multiple avenues such as public education and awareness, healthcare professional education and training, patient support and advocacy, and research.
Last fall, Global Sepsis Alliance also launched a sepsis initiative. The 2030 Global Agenda for Sepsis aims to alleviate human, societal, healthcare and economic burdens of sepsis.
“We saw an increase of sepsis during (the COVID-19 pandemic). I think (it) had a lot of people starting to pay attention to infectious diseases,” says Zeeb. “Sepsis was a complication for a lot of patients who suffered from COVID.”
Local impact
Sepsis doesn’t just affect people across the globe but also in central Ohio.
“If you look at our admissions to the hospital, (sepsis) vastly outnumbers the admissions for, let’s say, heart attack or stroke. It is a common condition,” says Zeeb.
A key focus area of the Ohio Hospital Association (OHA) is reducing sepsis mortality.
OHA has comprised more than 124 hospitals in Ohio for a statewide sepsis initiative. Mount Carmel is one of the many entities involved in the initiative.
The organization continues to send data to OHA to help it gather more research and information.
In 2020, Sepsis Alliance named OHA a Sepsis Hero in recognition for its work in reducing sepsis mortality by bringing awareness and improving sepsis management throughout the state.
“I think more people are aware of heart disease, stroke, complications of injuries than they are of sepsis,” says Zeeb. “I think we can talk more about how you could prevent or reduce your risk of sepsis.”
Korrigan Craddock is a contributing writer at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at feedback@cityscenemediagroup.com.
