{"id":7535,"date":"2023-01-11T11:06:44","date_gmt":"2023-01-11T15:06:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.cdc.gov\/safehealthcare\/?p=7535"},"modified":"2023-02-13T09:48:07","modified_gmt":"2023-02-13T13:48:07","slug":"concerned-about-sepsis","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.cdc.gov\/safehealthcare\/concerned-about-sepsis\/","title":{"rendered":"“I\u2019m Concerned About Sepsis!”"},"content":{"rendered":"

This blog is a part of a series that CDC launched to highlight the importance of patient safety by providing<\/em> educational information and simple ways to help people stay informed on public safety topics. Read the blog<\/em> below, authored by Dr. Carl Flatley, to learn more about sepsis and the importance of voicing your concerns as a patient. <\/em><\/p>\n

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Carl J. Flatley, DDS, MSD<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I graduated from dental school, served in the United States Navy Dental Corps for two and a half years, and was in private practice for two years before going to graduate school for endodontics. Endodontists save teeth by treating infections both surgically and non-surgically. I did 33,000 root canal treatments in my 20-year career, and never did I ever hear the word \u201csepsis.\u201d I now know that sepsis<\/a> is the body’s overwhelming response to an infection, which can lead to tissue damage, organ failure, amputations, and death.<\/p>\n

It was not until my 23-year-old, healthy daughter, Erin, went in for an outpatient surgery that I heard the word \u201csepsis.\u201d She had the surgery on a Thursday and passed away the following Tuesday. Erin died of sepsis after she contracted a healthcare-associated infection (HAI). Healthcare professionals (HCPs) did not recognize Erin\u2019s HAI early enough, nor did they provide her with appropriate antibiotics before she was discharged over the weekend. I, like many practicing clinicians, was not familiar with sepsis and didn\u2019t have the information I needed to recognize the signs and symptoms of sepsis so that we could seek immediate care for Erin. I was at her bedside when she died. She looked me in the eyes and seemed to say, \u201cCan\u2019t you do something, Dad?\u201d That has been my motivation for the past 20 years.<\/p>\n

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At least 350,000 adults<\/a><\/span> who develop sepsis die during their hospitalization or are discharged to hospice.<\/span><\/p>\n

At least 1.7 million adults<\/a><\/span> in America develop sepsis in a typical year. Some people who survive sepsis may experience persistent physical and mental health problems, including post-traumatic stress disorder, after they are discharged from the hospital.<\/span><\/p>\n

Sepsis, or the infection causing sepsis, starts before a patient goes to the hospital in nearly 87%<\/a><\/span> of cases.<\/span><\/p>\n

According to Sepsis Alliance\u2019s 2022 Sepsis Awareness Survey [PDF – 23 pages]<\/span><\/a><\/span>, only 19% of persons surveyed knew the four common symptoms of sepsis.<\/figcaption><\/figure>In 2007, I founded Sepsis Alliance<\/a>. I like to think that Sepsis Alliance, along with the people who run it and support it, have changed the world of sepsis. Sepsis Alliance\u2019s national initiative Sepsis: It\u2019s About TIME\u2122<\/sup><\/a> raises awareness of sepsis and the need for urgency in seeking care when there are signs and symptoms.<\/p>\n

Signs and symptoms of sepsis include:<\/p>\n