Broad-spectrum antibiotics are the first-line medications. These antibiotics work against several of the more common bacteria. These are intravenous antibiotics so they can get into the blood system quickly and efficiently.
Appropriate antimicrobials should be initiated within the first hour of recognizing sepsis, after obtaining relevant samples for culture—provided that doing so does not significantly delay antibiotic administration. The initial antimicrobial drugs should be broad-spectrum, covering all likely pathogens.
Although there still is no specific treatment for sepsis, general treatment with fluids and antibiotics has been the gold standard for many years.
Preferred empiric monotherapy includes meropenem, imipenem, piperacillin-tazobactam, or tigecycline. Empiric combination therapy includes metronidazole plus levofloxacin, aztreonam, or a third- or fourth-generation cephalosporin.
Antibiotics. The main treatment for sepsis, severe sepsis or septic shock is antibiotics. These will be given directly into a vein (intravenously). Ideally, antibiotic treatment should start within an hour of diagnosis.
The majority of broad-spectrum agents administered for sepsis have activity against Gram-positive organisms such as methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus, or MSSA, and Streptococcal species. This includes the antibiotics piperacillin/tazobactam, ceftriaxone, cefepime, meropenem, and imipenem/cilastatin.
Vancomycin provides gram-positive coverage and good hospital-acquired MRSA coverage. It is now used more frequently because of the high incidence of MRSA. Vancomycin should be given to all septic patients with indwelling catheters or devices. It is advisable for skin and soft-tissue infections.
Recombinant human activated protein C (rhAPC), or drotrecogin alfa (activated) (DAA), is currently the only US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved medicine for the treatment of severe sepsis, and only in patients with a high risk of death.
Without rapid antibiotic treatment, it is possible for the person to go into septic shock and suffer from multiple organ failure, resulting in lifelong disability or even death. Clinicians are very concerned that patients with sepsis through infection with antibiotic-resistant bacteria may not respond to treatment.
Organ failure, including kidney failure, is a hallmark of sepsis. As the body is overwhelmed, its organs begin to shut down, causing even more problems. The kidneys are often among the first to be affected.
When treatment or medical intervention is missing, sepsis is a leading cause of death, more significant than breast cancer, lung cancer, or heart attack. Research shows that the condition can kill an affected person in as little as 12 hours.
You may need to stay in hospital for several weeks.
Sepsis happens when an infection you already have triggers a chain reaction throughout your body. Infections that lead to sepsis most often start in the lung, urinary tract, skin, or gastrointestinal tract. Without timely treatment, sepsis can rapidly lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death.
Sepsis is not something you can treat at home. Go to the hospital or call 911 if you have symptoms. Sepsis is a rare complication of an infection and occurs when an extreme immune system response triggers widespread inflammation throughout the body.
Most people recover from mild sepsis, but the mortality rate for septic shock is about 30% to 40%. Also, an episode of severe sepsis raises the risk for future infections.
Some of the most frequently isolated bacteria in sepsis are Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), Streptococcus pyogenes (S. pyogenes), Klebsiella spp., Escherichia coli (E. coli), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (P.
“Sepsis is challenging because often the inciting event is a common infection. Patients often don't think of common infections as potentially deadly ones.”
Oral cephalexin is useful in the treatment of lower respiratory tract and soft tissue infections. It is also useful in the treatment of Staphylococcus aureus septicemia which initially has been controlled by parenteral antibiotics.
In mild sepsis, complete recovery is possible at a quicker rate. On average, the recovery period from this condition takes about three to ten days, depending on the appropriate treatment response, including medication.
Keep in mind that people who survived sepsis are at higher risk for getting sepsis again. If you or your loved one has an infection that's not getting better or is getting worse, ACT FAST. Get medical care IMMEDIATELY.
Some medications can lead to a higher sepsis risk, Dr. Guy points out. Taking antibiotics too often or not finishing a course of antibiotics can make you more likely to get an infection that doesn't respond to antibiotics.
If sepsis is detected early and hasn't affected vital organs yet, it may be possible to treat the infection at home with antibiotics. Most people who have sepsis detected at this stage make a full recovery. Almost all people with severe sepsis and septic shock require admission to hospital.
Penicillin-type antibiotics are also used to treat blood infections (sepsis), meningitis, endocarditis, and other serious infections. Brand names of amoxicillin include Moxatag and Amoxil.