A member asked:
What is sepsis?
5 doctor answers • 11 doctors weighed in
Dr. Ruben Nazarioanswered
Specializes in Pediatrics
A severe infection: Sepsis is the term used by doctors to describe a severe, life-threatening bloodstream infection. Sepsis can cause your baby's organs to fail. If untreated, sepsis can be fatal. Treatment with intravenous fluids and antibiotics, and close monitoring in the hospital can prevent serious complications.
6.7k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
Dr. Lisa Robertsanswered
Pediatrics 24 years experience
Blood infection: "sepsis" refers to a very severe blood infection that happens in certain children. Some babies are at higher risk (babies in hospitals who have indwelling IV catheters, children with immune deficiencies, severe premature infants or infants born to mothers with active infections). Most children with sepsis have high fever and act very ill. This is a serious illness that can be treatable.
6.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Payam Rafatanswered
Podiatry 23 years experience
Severe infection: If an infective agent travels to the blood stream and spreads, it could cause what is called sepsis. With sepsis the body is greatly challenged to fight the infection. In severe cases the patient may go into multi-organ failure, shock, or even death. Have it evaluated and get the appropriate treatment. You may need oral or intravenous antibiotics, oxygen, IV fluid and pain medication.
4.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Dr. Martin Raffanswered
Infectious Disease 57 years experience
Sepsis: There are now a set of 4 criteria that define sepsis. High or low WBC count, pulse of >90, respirations of 20 or greater and temperature elevation or hypothermia. Any 2 of these when infection is present constitutes "sepsis". There are further criteria for severe sepsis, septic shock and sepsis with multiorgan failure.
2.8k viewsReviewed >2 years agoMerged
Dr. Robert Robinsonanswered
Internal Medicine 22 years experience
Clinical diagnosis: Sepsis is a clinical diagnosis - there is no lab test for sepsis. Lab tests are used to assist in the diagnosis of sepsis. Look at the SOFA score to see how clinical information is put together to determine if someone has sepsis
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SOFA_score
The SOFA score uses vital signs, physical exam, and lab tests to help determine if someone has sepsis
705 viewsReviewed >2 years agoMerged
Similar questions
A 46-year-old member asked:
Is sepsis painful?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in
Dr. Jason Adleranswered
Pediatric Critical Care 25 years experience
Can be uncomfortable: While sepsis is not classically thought of as painful by itself, patients with sepsis can require painful interventions such as central venous catheters, endotracheal intubation, and may develop painful complications such as issues with skin integrity. Patients may experience discomfort from fluid overload and difficulty breathing. Not everyone with sepsis has pain, but it can occur.
5.9k viewsAnswered >2 years ago
A 34-year-old member asked:
What's sepsis and is there a cure?
2 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in
Dr. Carlo Hatemanswered
Pulmonary Critical Care 26 years experience
Infection: Sepsis is a form of poisoning caused by an infection. The treatment is antibiotics, control of the infection, and supportive measures to keep other organs working while the body heals.
5.7k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 50-year-old member asked:
What are the complications of sepsis?
2 doctor answers • 5 doctors weighed in
Dr. Ankush Bansalanswered
Internal Medicine 18 years experience
Organ failure, death: Sepsis is a dangerous condition that can result in severly low blood pressure, heart failure, pulmonary edema requiring a ventilator, kidney failure, delirium, further infection due to malnutrition and weakened immune state, and ultimately death. With aggressive, early treatment in the hospital, these can be mitigated most of the time.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
A 21-year-old member asked:
How common is sepsis?
2 doctor answers • 6 doctors weighed in
Dr. Aaron Milstoneanswered
Pulmonology 28 years experience
Common: Nearly three quarters of a million americans suffer sepsis each year; a high proportion die each year from sepsis. It is fairly common in most hospitals.
6.3k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
CA
A 27-year-old member asked:
How does sepsis spread?
1 doctor answer • 4 doctors weighed in
Dr. Edward Neilsenanswered
Family Medicine 20 years experience
Blood: Typically sepsis starts in a single area - kidney, open wound, broken bone, etc - but spreads throught the body in the bloodstream.
6.1k viewsReviewed >2 years ago
Last updated Mar 24, 2019
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