It’s World Sepsis Day: Know the facts and help save lives

Today is World Sepsis Day, a chance to reflect and remind yourself of the importance of spotting sepsis in patients and stopping it as quickly as possible.

Sepsis is so prevalent among hospitalized patients across the U.S. that minimizing patient harm from the condition has become an organizational priority at Michigan Medicine.

Here are a few important facts about sepsis:

• There is approximately one sepsis-related death in the U.S. every two minutes — or 270,000 per year
• Overall, more than 1.7 million adults develop sepsis in the U.S. each year
• 1 in 3 patients who die in a hospital has sepsis
• Sepsis survivors can experience new and lasting consequences of their illness, known as Post Sepsis Syndrome

There are a number of signs you can look for in a patient that may indicate sepsis:

• Confusion or disorientation
• Shortness of breath or fast breathing
• Fever or shivering or feeling very cold
• High heart rate
• Extreme pain or discomfort
• Clammy or sweaty skin
• Decreased urine output
• Lethargy (or sleepier than normal in children)

If you see any of these signs, acting quickly is crucial. Teams are working to increase early recognition of symptoms and rapid implementation of best practice clinical interventions, or sepsis bundles, for patients who develop the condition — both critical to saving lives.

To learn more about sepsis and how you can help limit potential harm, be sure to check out the latest episode of The Wrap employee podcast via the YouTube video below!