National inpatient data shows that sepsis cases are increasing in Australia. The Australian Sepsis NetworkExternal link reports that almost 5,000, of an estimated 18,000, Australians treated in an intensive care unit die each year as a result of sepsis.
Each year, the deadly disease takes 5,000 Australian lives — more than one person every two hours. It occurs when the body's immune system overreacts to infection, injuring tissues and organs. Yet 40 per cent of all Australians haven't even heard of the disease.
Sepsis results from an infection which may arise in the lungs, urinary tract, skin, abdomen or other part of the body. The most common causes of sepsis are respiratory infections, abdominal infections (for example, after kidney or gall stones) and urinary infections.
Between 2013-14 and 2017-18, a total of 23,827,061 hospitalisations were included in this study. Out of these hospitalisations, 437,354 were recorded with a sepsis diagnosis in 739 public hospitals in Australia. Overall age standardised sepsis incidence was 1,162.8 cases per 100,000 resident population.
In a typical year: At least 1.7 million adults in America develop sepsis. At least 350,000 adults who develop sepsis die during their hospitalization or are discharged to hospice. 1 in 3 people who dies in a hospital had sepsis during that hospitalization.
Most sepsis is caused by bacterial infections, but it can also be caused by viral infections, such as COVID-19 or influenza; fungal infections; or noninfectious insults, such as traumatic injury.
The risk of dying from sepsis increases by as much as 8% for every hour of delayed treatment. On average, approximately 30% of patients diagnosed with severe sepsis do not survive.
Sepsis is a time critical medical emergency and a leading cause of death worldwide. In Australia at least 55,000 people develop sepsis each year and 8,000 of them die from sepsis-related complications. The SEPSIS KILLS program has been incrementally introduced since 2011 in more than 200 health facilities in NSW.
Many people who survive sepsis recover completely and their lives return to normal.
Sepsis is actually very common; however, most of the time if someone dies due to Sepsis, the cause of death is due to something more common such as Pneumonia.
Anyone can develop sepsis, but some people are at higher risk for sepsis: Adults 65 or older. People with weakened immune systems. People with chronic medical conditions, such as diabetes, lung disease, cancer, and kidney disease.
Anyone can get sepsis, but the elderly, children, and infants are most vulnerable.
It's important to recognise the signs and symptoms of sepsis. Also known as blood poisoning or septicaemia, it can be a life-threatening condition. Get medical help immediately if you think you've noticed the early signs of sepsis.
Commonly cited explanations for the increase in sepsis incidence include an aging population with more predisposing comorbidities, more frequent use of immunosuppression, more invasive procedures and medical devices, and the spread of multi-drug resistant pathogens (6-8).
This can cause vital organs to shut down. This usually starts with the kidneys. Blood pressure can drop dangerously low. This can cause less oxygen and nutrients to reach your kidneys.
Sepsis can develop quickly from initial infection and progress to septic shock in as little as 12 to 24 hours.1 You may have an infection that's not improving or you could even be sick without realizing it.
The mortality rate of SIRS ranges from 6% to 7% and in septic shock amounts to over 50%. In particular, abdominal sepsis exhibits the highest mortality rate with 72%. The long-term prognosis is equally poor; only approximately 30% survived the first year after hospital admission.
A – The public should also be aware of the signs and symptoms of sepsis – fast heart rate, fever or chills, nausea and vomiting, fatigue or weakness and blotchy or discoloured skin. Not all need to be present and some symptoms may be milder than others.
Countries With the Best Health Care
Many of the countries with the highest sepsis death rates are located in Africa: the Central African Republic, Chad, South Sudan, Lesotho, Somalia and Niger.
With only mild sepsis, a full recovery is the most common outcome. But for septic shock, the mortality rate is estimated to range between 25-40% – and closer to the higher end of that figure for the elderly. As sepsis becomes worse, complications of sepsis in elderly patients will start to emerge.
Immediate action required: Call 999 or go to A&E if:
An adult or older child has any of these symptoms of sepsis: acting confused, slurred speech or not making sense. blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue – on brown or black skin, this may be easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet.