A Fast And Aggressive Treatment Of Sepsis Could Save Lives

New York is the first among the US states to require doctors to follow an aggressive treatment for sepsis.

A new study shows that an aggressive treatment is the best way of dealing with sepsis. This killer condition is the body’s reaction to infections. The problem is that it is both hard to diagnose and to treat. People who have sepsis may not know that they have a problem until they enter septic shock. As they reach this state, they become increasingly harder to save as their organs are shutting down. So doctors have to turn to a fast and very aggressive treatment.

An Aggressive Treatment for Sepsis Should Also be a Very Fast One

New York was the first among the US states to introduce a three-step guideline for detecting and treating sepsis. The research team behind this new study monitored patients treated in this state. They observed that treating sepsis fast and aggressively can actually save lives as almost every minute counts in such cases. The risk of dying was estimated to increase by 4 percent for every hour that passes without treatment.

Another important element in treating this condition is the patient’s arrival time at the hospital. If they come too late, the doctors’ chances of saving them decreases. The team noted the importance of knowing that something is wrong with you and seeking medical attention for it. This is also why specialists pointed out the need of raising awareness of sepsis. The CDC started a campaign on the matter last year.

Using an aggressive treatment is the best way of treating sepsis because this is not just a simple infection. The condition occurs when the body tries to fight an infection but ends up damaging its own tissues. In turn, this can lead to amputations, sepsis shock, organ failure, and even death. Over 1.5 million people suffer from sepsis every year in the US and 250,000 of them die.

Scientists mentioned that even the smallest infection could trigger sepsis. It was noted that more than 80% such cases started outside the hospital in healthy people with minor infections. Until now, it was believed that people who had surgery or were sick presented the highest risk of sepsis. Study results were published in the New England Journal of Medicine.

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Roxanne Briean

I am a geek, a gamer and a writer. I have always been fascinated with the online community. At the moment I work as a full-time writer and study interior design. When I'm not scouring the net in search of interesting new gadgets and software I spend my time in MOBAs or drawing.