Sepsis is not well known to society, although it can be fatal in the most severe cases. This term, in fact, responds to a picture of symptoms that indicate physiological, biochemical anomalies and pathologies in the body, which appear as a result of an infection, mainly bacterial. This causes widespread inflammation to occur in the body, which in turn leads to the formation of blood clots. In the most severe cases, the condition reaches the organs and there are body areas that do not receive adequate blood flow.
A clinical picture that is not always easy to detect in time, so from we will tell the causes and symptoms of septicemia to be able to identify them and act more quickly.
Causes of sepsis
Sepsis can be caused by different types of infections, usually those caused by bacteria. The most common is related to pneumonia that the person has been able to catch, for example, while he has been hospitalized or when he has been continuously in community areas and in which many people cohabit.
Septicemia in turn is related to cytokines, also known as cytokines, since the presence of high levels in the body favors greater mortality in sepsis. The reason is that cytokine proteins are of two kinds. One of them corresponds to the anti-inflammatory, which would help to cope with the infection, although there are also pro-inflammatory. The latter have negative effects on the body by facilitating the dilation of blood vessels and helping to reduce blood pressure.
Less common is that the infection has its origin or is related to fungi such as, for example, candida. But it is also not impossible because, analyzing the causes of septicemia, it is observed that most infectious processes have their origin in the lungs, as well as in the abdomen and urinary system.
Risk factors for sepsis
Although always the origin of septicemia is an infection, there are some factors that promote its appearance and that there are people who are more likely to suffer from it. In this group, there are mainly those who have a weakened immune system and the chronically ill because it is easier for them to suffer from an infection or catch pneumonia.
Also, part of the risk group are all those people who wear joint or cardiac prostheses and who present abnormalities in the heart valves due to the formation of clots, incorrect blood flow and lowering of blood pressure as we have already mentioned above.
Sepsis is also more common in newborns and the elderly. Care should also be taken by pregnant women.
Symptoms of sepsis
The symptoms of sepsis are not always easy to recognize. In addition, one of the biggest problems is that it can appear suddenly and move forward very quickly. This reason is one of the main causes of high levels of mortality due to sepsis.
- Thermometer: normally, in the first place, the person usually notices that he has a fever, although cases have also been detected in which the body temperature drops. Other even symptoms are chills and feeling weak. However, these signs may vary depending on where the infection began.
- Heart and lung: in a later phase of sepsis, other symptoms appear such as an increase in heart rate and respiratory rate, although this clinical picture can occur at the same time.
- Attention: the symptoms of sepsis begin to be more evident after the above indicators because there is a decrease in the level of alertness of the person.
- Redness: Another warning sign is that the skin begins to look red. Also, to the touch, the dermis is hot.
- Vital organs: at this point, the symptoms of sepsis are noticeable in the organs. The most common is to realize that the frequency and amount of urine is lower. Likewise, there is a decrease in blood pressure and the body temperature also falls by levels that are below normal parameters.
- Color: as sepsis progresses, the skin no longer feels hot, but is cold and its hue is more bluish or is as if specked by poor blood flow, which begins to cause the death of tissues and, consequently, vital organs.
These are some of the causes and symptoms of sepsis that we compile in, although you always have to have the opinion of a doctor and consult with the professionals any doubts. Do you know of any nearby cases? Did you have any other symptoms? What was the cause of your sepsis?
Treatment of sepsis
Treatment of sepsis requires hospitalization of the patient. Initially, antibiotic drugs are given intravenously to treat the infection.
In addition, other measures can be carried out to establish the balance of respiratory and hemodynamic alterations, such as oxygenation, transfusions, administration of intravenous fluids or vasodepressive drugs.
In other cases, the focus of the infection can be eliminated with a local surgical intervention.
