Sepsis symptoms

Debut: (after incubation hours up to 2-3 days) followed by shivering heat (40-41C) with progressive deterioration of general condition

During the actual status of sepsis:

- Chills (optimal time to harvest blood for blood culture), fever of different types (depending on the causative organism: pneumococcus -, intermittent fever, etc.) Also hypothermia (body exhausted)

- Splenohepatomegaly

- Dramatic alteration of general condition (headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, agitation, delusions, apathy, alterations of consciousness, hypotension to collapse, jaundice, diarrhea, rash, gastrointestinal bleeding from stress)

- MSOF (multiple organ failure), death.

Sepsis systemic inflammatory response may increase over time, leading to extreme and very serious state of septic shock. Some patients may respond with a normal body temperature, while others may be hypothermic. Most often, the elderly, alcoholics and sepsis in newborns does not manifest fever.

Early hyperventilation is installed and the patient is confused and disoriented.

Then comes hypotension and DIC = disseminated intravascular coagulation, which leads to damage due to ischemia peripheral tissues. Specific skin lesions may occur due to bacterial toxins spread throughout the body via the circulatory system.

Sepsis is accompanied and gastrointestinal manifestations: nausea, vomiting, vomiting, diarrhea, ileus (intestinal obstruction). Stress ulcer that occurs in sepsis is the leading cause of upper gastrointestinal bleeding. The liver is also affected, but reversible liver damage if prompt intervention in combating sepsis. Affected body will produce more lactic acid generating a state of metabolic acidosis, and blood glucose concentration will exceed the limits of normal (blood sugar) especially in diabetic patients. Due to generalized inflammatory condition, catabolism is much faster.

The body is equipped with various protection systems (skin) and defense (immune system) against aggression from various pathogens. In the face of aggression, the body may respond differently, with fever (temperature increase> 37 degrees C), tachypnea (increased number of breaths per minute) or tachycardia (increased heart rate> 100 beats / minute).

Sepsis is the body's systemic inflammatory response, triggered by microbial invasion. If compensation mechanisms and control of the body, acting to combat microbial invasion, will be overcome, the patient may reach severe sepsis and septic shock later.

Septic shock is characterized by hypotension (low blood pressure leading to decreased blood perfusion to vital organs) and multiple organ dysfunctions. If not countered in time, sepsis and septic shock will develop, leading to the patient's death.

Sepsis is an important cause of death, particularly among patients hospitalized for other medical conditions. A number of diseases such as diabetes, leukemia, liver cirrhosis or burns, promotes proliferation of pathogenic microorganisms in the blood (bacteremia) can lead to installation of sepsis. A weakened body with a poor immune system will increase the access of microbes in the bloodstream and trigger the inflammatory response = generalized sepsis.

Sepsis leads to kidney complications. Often the patient has: oliguria (decreased amount of urine), azotemia, proteinuria (protein loss in urine). Ultimately sepsis can lead to kidney failure due to acute tubular necrosis, caused by hypotension.

Patients with faulty defense system are at high risk of developing sepsis and multiorgan failure. The main causes are chemotherapy drugs, neoplasia, severe trauma, burns, diabetes, kidney or liver failure, ventilatory support and invasive catheterization.

Development of severe sepsis can be prevented by avoiding or removing invasive maneuvers as soon as possible. Prophylactic antibiotics after abdominal interventions can be especially beneficial.

Several clinical trials have demonstrated 40-75% mortality among patients with multiorgan failure in sepsis.

Fever is a common feature of sepsis. An abrupt onset of fever is usually associated with a high infectious load.

Impaired mental function is commonly observed. Easy disorientation or confusion is common in older people. More severe manifestations include restlessness, anxiety and agitation, and can even lead to coma.