Sepsis Symptoms: A Guide to Diagnosis & Recovery

Sepsis Symptoms: Recognising the Warning Signs of Severe Infection

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition triggered by infection, leading to inflammation, organ failure, or even death. It progresses in stages and can worsen rapidly. Early recognition of sepsis symptoms, prompt antibiotics, supportive care, and sometimes surgery are key to survival. Quick action and awareness can greatly improve outcomes.

Introduction

Sepsis is a life-threatening medical emergency that occurs when the body’s response to an infection triggers widespread inflammation. This severe reaction can lead to tissue damage, organ failure, or even death if not treated promptly. Recognising sepsis symptoms early is critical for survival, as timely diagnosis and immediate treatment, through medications, supportive care, and sometimes surgery, can make a life-saving difference.

In this blog, you will find a complete guide to sepsis, including its causes, warning signs, stages of severity, diagnostic methods, and treatment options.

Symptoms of Sepsis

The body's severe reaction to an infection can result in sepsis, a potentially fatal medical emergency. Widespread inflammation, hypotension, and decreased blood flow to essential organs are the results. Here are some of the early sepsis symptoms:

• General Sepsis Symptoms: Fever, chills, a fast heartbeat, and rapid or difficult breathing are typical sepsis symptoms in adults. Confusion, slurred speech, lightheadedness, nausea, vomiting, and extreme exhaustion are other possible symptoms. Skin can look clammy, sweaty, blotchy, or pale. Changes on the palms or soles may be apparent in darker skin tones.
• Severe Symptoms of Sepsis: Severe sepsis can lead to organ failure. Extreme weakness, mental changes, bluish or greyish skin, particularly around the lips, toes, or fingers, and a marked decrease in urine production are all warning signs.
• Symptoms of Septic Shock: The most critical stage is septic shock, which is characterized by dangerously low blood pressure that does not respond adequately to intravenous fluids alone, leading to a high risk of multiple organ failure and death.

Effects of Sepsis on the Human Body

The body may experience severe short-term and long-term sepsis symptoms. The body's overreaction to infection causes sepsis and harms tissues and organs. Here are the different effects of sepsis:

• Failure of Organs: Vital organs such as the kidneys, liver, lungs, and heart receive less blood when sepsis is present. Treatments like dialysis or mechanical ventilation may be necessary if this results in organ failure.
• Respiratory and Circulatory Problems: Septic shock, which can be lethal, can result from low blood pressure and inadequate oxygen delivery. Breathing problems are common, and some patients may require ventilator support or oxygen.
• Mental and Cognitive Effects: After recovering, survivors may experience anxiety, depression, memory loss, confusion, or trouble focusing, particularly if they are in intensive care.

Stages of Sepsis

Doctors now view sepsis symptoms as a spectrum, ranging from a minor bloodstream infection to severe septic shock, which allows them to provide more individualised diagnosis and treatment. Although they once divided it into three stages, they now diagnose it based on a flexible scale that considers severity and organ involvement.

Here are the different stages of sepsis:

1. Sepsis: At this stage, the body exhibits symptoms of inflammation and infection. Fever, a fast heartbeat, rapid breathing, disorientation, and body aches are some of the symptoms.
2. Severe Sepsis: The infection impacts organ function at this point. Patients may experience breathing difficulties, abnormal liver tests, and decreased or absent urine output in addition to sepsis symptoms.
3. Septic Shock: With potentially fatal complications, this is the most critical stage. All of the septic symptoms are present, along with dangerously low blood pressure that can cause organ failure and even death.
    

Causes of Sepsis

Bacterial infections most frequently cause sepsis, though a variety of pathogens can also cause it. Here are the various causes of sepsis:

1. Respiratory Infections: Lung infections like pneumonia, particularly in susceptible people such as the elderly or those with long-term conditions, largely cause sepsis.
2. Urinary Tract Infections: Urinary tract infections (UTIs), especially in patients with catheters or other urinary problems, frequently cause sepsis.
3. Gastrointestinal Infections: Sepsis can result from gastrointestinal tract infections, including gallbladder and liver infections, bowel disorders, peritonitis, and appendicitis, if bacteria get into the bloodstream.
4. Central Nervous System Infections: Infections of the brain or spinal cord, such as encephalitis or meningitis, can also cause sepsis.
5. Skin Infections: Bacteria can enter through broken skin from wounds, surgical incisions, or IV/catheter sites, resulting in infections like cellulitis that can progress to sepsis.
    

Diagnosis of Sepsis

For effective treatment and recovery, sepsis symptoms must be diagnosed as soon as possible. Healthcare professionals use internationally recognized criteria (the Sepsis-3 definitions), which involve a combination of clinical evaluations, laboratory tests, and scoring systems to diagnose sepsis and assess its severity.

Here are the different diagnosis methods of sepsis:

• Clinical Evaluation

Physicians may first suspect sepsis using the quick Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (qSOFA). This instrument looks for:
 

1. Low systolic blood pressure (less than 100 mmHg),
2. Elevated breathing rate (greater than 22 breaths per minute)
3. A consciousness score of 15 or lower on the Glasgow Coma Scale.
    

A (qSOFA) score of 2 or more in a patient with a suspected infection is a red flag that signals a high risk of sepsis and mortality, prompting the need for immediate, aggressive medical intervention and further testing.
 

• Lab Tests: Blood tests are essential for detecting infections, assessing the function of organs (liver, kidney), measuring oxygen levels, and spotting electrolyte or clotting abnormalities. To identify the source of the infection, urine samples, wound fluid, and respiratory secretions may also be examined.
• Imaging Examinations: Doctors use imaging such as X-rays (for lung infections), ultrasounds (for kidney or gallbladder problems), CT scans (for abdominal infections), or MRIs (for soft tissue or bone infections) when the infection site is unclear.
   

Management and Treatment of Sepsis

Sepsis is a serious medical condition that requires prompt, intensive treatment. Since sepsis patients may need emergency interventions to stabilise vital functions like breathing and blood circulation, doctors usually admit them to the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for close monitoring. The sections below explain how doctors manage and treat sepsis:

1. Medications: The prompt administration of antibiotics is the first line of treatment for sepsis. Initially, broad-spectrum antibiotics are typically administered to combat a variety of bacteria. Doctors may change to a more targeted antibiotic once blood test results pinpoint the exact pathogen.
   Physicians give intravenous (IV) fluids right away to ensure proper blood volume and organ perfusion. They use vasopressor drugs to narrow blood vessels and raise blood pressure if it stays dangerously low. They may also prescribe other medications to control pain or blood sugar levels.
2. Supportive Care: Treatment for sepsis must include supportive care. To help with breathing, oxygen therapy is administered; in more severe situations, a ventilator may be necessary. Dialysis may be required to eliminate waste from the blood and preserve fluid balance if the infection affects kidney function.
3. Surgical Intervention: Surgical excision is frequently necessary when the infection involves pus, abscesses, or dead tissue. Surgery helps remove the origin of the infection and prevents it from spreading further throughout the body.

The Bottom Line

Sepsis is a medical emergency that requires prompt identification and immediate treatment. The chance of survival and recovery from sepsis is greatly increased with early recognition, prompt administration of the right antibiotics, and aggressive supportive care to maintain organ function. By being aware of its signs and causes, prompt medical intervention can help avoid major complications and save lives.