Sepsis: The leading cause of preventable death worldwide

Here at the James D. Moore Memorial Foundation, we are dedicated to raising awareness, increasing prevention and advocating for patients of sepsis. We hope to raise awareness about sepsis, which we hope will help raise funds for research, so that no one ever has to experience what James D. Moore experienced.

Sepsis occurs when the body overreacts to infection, causing a life-threatening response in the body that could lead to tissue damage, organ failure and death. In a normal, healthy body, the immune system fights germs to prevent infection. These germs include bacteria, viruses, fungi or parasites. When your body identifies an infection, your immune system kicks into action to fight it. If your immune system is not quite strong enough to fight the infection on its own, your doctor will prescribe medications such as antibiotics to help support your immune system in the fight.

Unfortunately, sometimes your immune system stops fighting against the germs and instead starts attacking itself. Some people are more susceptible to sepsis due to a compromised or not strong enough immune system, such as babies or the elderly. When sepsis begins, patients are diagnosed according to a certain set of signs and symptoms. This generally includes presenting with more than one of the signs of sepsis.

Severe Sepsis

Severe sepsis includes signs of organ dysfunction, such as difficulty breathing, low urine output and changes in mental status. When severe sepsis occurs, patients will receive treatment in intensive care units to prevent the progression of the disease to septic shock. Septic shock is diagnosed when your blood pressure drops to dangerous levels.

Because sepsis can occur as the result of a number of different types of infections, it is important to take steps to help prevent against it. Vaccinations for viruses, such as the flu or chicken pox, can be helpful in preventing sepsis, as they increase your immune system’s ability to fight viral infections. You can also help prevent sepsis by caring for wounds immediately. Even the smallest cut allows bacteria to enter your body, increasing your chances for developing an infection. Thus, you should clean any wound immediately, treat it and monitor its progress for signs of infection.

Sepsis is considered a medical emergency and it should be treated quickly and as efficiently as possible. Sepsis can be treated a number of ways, including by antibiotics, which are designed to treat both the infection that started the sepsis, and the sepsis itself. However, antibiotics alone can’t treat sepsis, so doctors also prescribe intravenous fluids to help the body maintain its strength and infection-fighting abilities. In very severe cases, sepsis may be treated with kidney dialysis, mechanical ventilation, corticosteroids, or central venous catheters.

It is generally considered the leading cause of preventable death worldwide, so we are on a mission to raise awareness of the risk factors and steps you can take to prevent sepsis. Together, we can make a difference for patients and their loved ones.