Test Your Knowledge: Sepsis Quiz

When germs get into a person’s body, they can cause an infection. If that infection isn’t stopped, it can cause sepsis. Sepsis is the body’s extreme response to an infection. It happens when an infection you already have triggers a chain reaction in your body. The infection may be in your skin, lungs, urinary tract or somewhere else. Sepsis is a life-threatening medical emergency.

Anyone can get sepsis. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) risk of infection and sepsis is higher in: adults 65 or older, people with chronic or long-term health problems, such as diabetes, lung disease, cancer and kidney disease, people with weaker immune systems and children younger than one year old. Remember: Sepsis is more common and more dangerous in older adults and in those with chronic or long-term diseases.

All of the above, alone or together, can be symptoms of sepsis. Sepsis survivors have said that they never felt so sick in their lives.

About one in three patients who die in a hospital have sepsis. Sepsis is also a main reason why people return to the hospital. More than 1.5 million people get sepsis each year in the U.S., and at least 250,000 Americans die from sepsis each year. Severe sepsis kills more people each year than prostate cancer, breast cancer and HIV/AIDS combined. Actress Patty Duke died of sepsis.

All of the above are all ways that you can get ahead of sepsis. Help protect yourself from sepsis by getting needed vaccines, such as a flu shot and pneumonia vaccine. Healthcare providers, patients and caregivers can work as a team to prevent infections and be alert to the signs of sepsis.

When sepsis is severe, tissue (like muscles) may be damaged. Some people must have surgery to remove their limbs. Organs like the lungs, kidneys and liver may fail. It is important to ACT FAST. Studies show that people with sepsis who are treated quickly are more likely to survive. Get medical care RIGHT AWAY if you suspect sepsis or have an infection that’s not getting better or is getting worse. Ask your doctor or nurse, “Could this infection be leading to sepsis?” Remember: ACT FAST. TIME MATTERS.