Blood Poisoning (Sepsis)

Blood poisoning (Sepsis)


Definition of Blood Poisoning

Blood poisoning is a nonspecific term that is used primarily by nonmedical individuals that describe, in the broadest sense, any medical conditions that are less well due to the presence of any toxic agent in the blood. Typically, most people who use the term blood poisoning refers to medical conditions that arise when bacteria or their products (or both) reaches the blood. Blood poisoning is not a medical term and does not appear in many dictionaries of medical or scientific publications. However, when it is used, the correct medical term is almost close to the intended meaning is sepsis. Many medical authors consider the terms of blood poisoning and sepsis can be interchangeable, but the tendency is to use the term sepsis.

Definition of Sepsis

Sepsis is a medical condition that potentially dangerous or life-threatening, which is found in association with a known or suspected infection (usually but not limited to bacteria) are the signs and symptoms meet at least two of the following criteria of the syndrome systemic inflammatory response or systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS):
* Increased heart rate (tachycardia)> 90 beats per minute rest period
* High body temperature (> 100.4F or 38C) or low (<96.8F or 36C) * Increased respiratory rate of> 20 breaths per minute or PaCO2 (partial pressure of carbon dioxide in arterial blood) <32 mm Hg * The number of abnormal white blood cells (> 12 000 cells / mL or <4000 cells / mL or> 10% bands [type of immature white blood cells])

Patients who meet the above criteria have also termed sepsis and septic. These criteria suggested by some medical institutions and might be constantly modified by other medical groups. For example, groups of pediatric (children's disease) using the same four criteria listed above, but modify the values ​​for each with to make the SIRS criteria for children. Other groups want to add more criteria, but right now this is the most widely accepted definition.

The terms are often used in place of sepsis is bacteremia, septicemia, and blood poisoning. However, bacteremia is the presence of bacteria in the blood; this can happen without all of the criteria listed above and should not be confused with sepsis. For example, you can menggosk your teeth and get bacteremia for a short time and does not have happened SIRS criteria. Unfortunately, septicemia has had various definitions over time, he has defined as bacteremia, septicemia, bacteremia leading to sepsis, sepsis, and other variations. Although septicemia appears frequently in the medical literature, a reader must be sure which definition is used by the author. Some experts suggest terms of blood poisoning and septicemia are not used because they are poorly defined, but it is difficult to ignore that kind of terms that have been used for decades.

Why So Many Diseases By "sepsis", "septic", "septicemia", or "blood poisoning" In the Name Them?

Unfortunately, both medical personnel and ordinary people have used these terms can be swapped with each other and then connect them to a specific organism (usually bacteria) that can cause sepsis or to temapt in the body where the infection originated the lead to sepsis as described above . Contonya, meningococcal sepsis, meningococcal septicemia, septic meningitis, and meningococcal blood poisoning can refer to the same entity; infection of patients by the bacteria Neisseria meningitidis that has spread from the meninges (the membranes of the brain) into the bloodstream, resulting in patients having at least two of the four criteria outlined above for sepsis. Common examples of where the body used in the same way is puerperal sepsis, puerperal septicemia, puerperal or childbirth blood poisoning, and maternal postpartum septicemia. All four terms representing the infection of the female reproductive system that leads to the criteria for sepsis patients. The infectious agent is not portrayed as the body is connected to the "sepsis" or other terms. Here is a brief list of some of both the organism and organ system terms (and related organs) seen in both the lay and medical literature:
* MRSA sepsis: sepsis caused by Staphylococcus aureus resistant to methicillin
* VRE sepsis: sepsis caused by Enterococcus species of bacteria that are resistant to vancomycin
* Urosepsis: sepsis from a urinary tract infection
* Wound sepsis: sepsis from wound infection
* Neonatal sepsis or septicemia: sepsis seen in infants, newborns, usually on the first four weeks after birth
* Septic abortion: abortion caused by infection with sepsis in the mother

There are many more examples of terms that are connected to sepsis (eg, AIDS, tattoos, spider bites). Occasionally, term-like hemorrhagic septicemia term used to describe the symptoms (internal bleeding) that occurs with sepsis. The trend in medicine today is to reduce the use of these terms and septicemic blood poisoning to prefer the terms sepsis or septic, because sepsis is defined more simply.

Signs or Symptoms Sepsis (Blood Poisoning)

Patients must have a source of infection is proven or suspected (usually bacteria) and have at least two of the following issues: increased heart rate (tachycardia), high temperature (fever) or low temperature (hypothermia), rapid breathing (> 20 breaths per minute or PaCO2 level is reduced), or white blood cell count is high, low, or consisting of> 10% band cells. In most cases, it is rather easy to make sure the heart rate (pulse count per minute), fever or hypothermia with a thermometer, and to calculate napa-breaths per minute even at home. Is probably more difficult to prove the source of infection, but if the person has symptoms of infection such as a productive cough, or dysuria, or fever-fever, or sores with pus, it is rather easy to suspect that a person with an infection may have sepsis. However, the determination of the number of white blood cells and PaCO2 is usually performed by the laboratory. In most cases, a definitive diagnosis of sepsis is made by a physician in connection with laboratory tests.

Some authors consider the red stripes or red streaks on the skin as signs of sepsis. However, these grooves are caused by local inflammatory changes in local blood vessels or lymph vessels (lymphangitis). Grooves or lines of red are alarming because they usually indicate the spread of infection that can result in sepsis.
Causes of Sepsis

The majority of cases of sepsis caused by bacterial infections, some are caused by fungal infections, and very rarely caused by other causes of infection or agents that may cause SIRS. Infectious agents, usually bacteria, begins to infect virtually any organ or location of the implanted devices (eg, skin, lungs, gastrointestinal tract, where the surgery, intravenous catheters, etc..). Infecting agents or their toxins (or both) then spread directly or indirectly into the bloodstream. This allows them to spread to almost all other organ systems. SIRS criteria result when the body tries to counteract the damage done by agents who are born of this blood.

Bacterial causes of sepsis are common gram-negative bacilli (eg, E. coli, P. aeruginosa, E. corrodens), S. aureus, Streptococcus species and Enterococcus species; however, there are a large number of bacterial species have been known to cause sepsis. The types of Candida fungi are some of the most frequent cause of sepsis. In general, a person with sepsis can be contagious, so prevention measures such as hand washing, sterile gloves, masks, clothing and coverings should be considered depending on the source of infection of patients.

Diagnosing Sepsis

Clinically, patients must fulfill at least two of the SIRS criteria listed above and have a suspected or proven infection. Definitive diagnosis as on blood breeding positive for infectious agents and at least two of the SIRS criteria. However, two subsets of the four criteria depending on the laboratory analysis; examinations of white blood cells and PaCO2. Criteria this subset, such as culture, blood culture, performed in clinical laboratories.
There are other diagnoses that indicate the severity of sepsis patients. Severe sepsis is diagnosed when patients had septic organ dysfunction (eg, urine flow is low or absent, altered mental state). Severe sepsis may also include hypotension induced by sepsis (also termed septic shock) when the patient's blood pressure falls (usually <90 mm Hg in adults) and result in low blood flow or no to various organs.

Treating Sepsis (Blood Poisoning)

In almost every case of sepsis, patients need to be hospitalized, treated with intravenous antibiotics are appropriate, and provided therapy to support any organ dysfunction. Sepsis can rapidly lead to organ damage den death; therapy should not be delayed because of statistical-statistic suggest increased mortality as high as 7% per hour if antibiotics are delayed in severe sepsis. Most cases of sepsis treated in the emergency room or intensive care unit (ICU) hospitals.
The right antibiotics to treat sepsis are combinations of two or three antibiotics given at the same time; most of these combinations usually include vancomycin to treat MRSA infections much. However, once the infecting organism isolated, laboratories can determine which antibiotics are most effective against these organisms, and antibiotics should be used to treat patients. In addition to antibiotics, two main therapeutic interventions other organ system support and operations, may be required. First, if the organ systems requiring support, ICU (intensive care unit) can often provide (eg, intubation to support lung function or dialysis to support renal function). Secondly, surgery may be needed to drain or remove the source of infection. Amputation of limbs (hands and feet) have been done to save the lives of patients.

Prognosis Sepsis

The prognosis of patients with sepsis attributed to the severity or stage of sepsis as well as to the circumstances of the patient's underlying health. For example, patients with sepsis and no signs of persistent organ failure at the time of diagnosis has approximately 15% -30% chance of death. Patients with severe sepsis or septic shock have a mortality rate of approximately 40% -60%. Babies-newborns and patients were children with sepsis has approximately 9% -36% mortality. Investigators have developed a scoring system (meds score) based on the patient's symptoms to assess prognosis.

There are a large number of complications that may occur with sepsis. Complications associated with the type of initial infection (ex, on pulmonary infection with sepsis, a potential complication is probably a need for respiratory support) and the severity of sepsis (eg, septic shock associated with infections that may require limb amputation of limbs) . As a consequence, each patient is likely to have the potential for complications associated with the source of sepsis; in general, the complications caused by the dysfunction, damage, or loss of organs.

Doctors agree that the sooner a patient with sepsis is diagnosed and treated, the better prognosis and fewer complications, if there is to the patient.

Prevention of Sepsis (Blood Poisoning)

Risk factors that lead to sepsis can be reduced by many methods. Perhaps the most important ways to reduce the chance of sepsis is to first prevent any infections. Vaccines, good health, hand washing, and avoid sources of infection are the methods of prevention are excellent. If infection occurs, prompt treatment of any infection before it has a chance to spread into the blood it is possible to prevent sepsis. This is especially important in patients who are at greater risk for infections such as those whose immune systems are suppressed, those with cancer, people with diabetes, or elderly patients

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