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Advanced Septic Treatment

Sepsis is a potentially life-threatening condition occurring when the body's immune reaction to infection injures body tissues far from the original infection, according to the Mayo Clinic. In advanced sepsis, organ function is affected, and septic shock--a sometimes fatal drop in blood pressure--can occur.

  1. Statistics

    • A September 2005 article in Current Infectious Disease Reports identified sepsis as the 10th leading cause of death in the United States. The incidence of sepsis was at least 240 patients per 100,000 people, and severe sepsis affected between 51 and 95 patients per 100,000 people.

    The Condition

    • According to the Mayo Clinic, in sepsis, an exaggerated immune response leads to widespread inflammation. The immune response causes clots to form in tiny blood vessels throughout the body, while at the same time interfering with the body's ability to break down clots. The heart works faster to pump blood, while the clots prevent sufficient oxygen from reaching the organs, causing organ failure.

    Medication

    • Doctors must act fast to treat sepsis. Intravenous broad-spectrum antibiotics are administered even before the bacteria causing the infection is identified. Vasopressors are used to raise blood pressure if necessary. Low doses of corticosteroids, insulin to maintain stable blood sugar levels, drugs that modify immune system responses, and painkillers or sedatives are other medications that may be necessary, according to the Mayo Clinic.

    Additional Treatment and Care

    • For people with severe sepsis, supportive care, including intravenous fluids and oxygen, is usually required. Breathing may have to be machine-assisted. Kidney failure may occur, making dialysis necessary. Surgery may be necessary to remove sources of infection, including medical devices, intravenous lines, drainage tubes and abscesses.

    Activated Protein C

    • A recombinant Activated Protein C (APC) product was approved by the FDA in 2001 to treat adults with severe sepsis who are at high risk of death. APC, a substance found in the body that controls inflammation and regulates blood clotting, is decreased in sepsis, according to survivingsepsis.com. Research continues to be devoted to APC as a therapy for sepsis, as of 2010.

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