Health Report: Raising Sepsis Awareness

BOWLING GREEN, Ky. – It’s a serious condition but you may never have heard of it…sepsis. Dr. Joe Thomas, M.D., the Medical Director of the Emergency Department at Tristar Greenview Hospital, says sepsis is a complication of other infectious illnesses such as pneumonia.

It requires treatment quickly. According to the Sepsis Alliance, a national organization that focuses on the prevention of sepsis, nearly thirty percent of patients who develop sepsis don’t survive.

Some of the symptoms of sepsis include decreased urine output, difficulty breathing, and confusion. A late-stage sign is low blood pressure.

And, according to Dr. Thomas, some patients may be more at risk than others, including older adults, young children, and babies, as well as those with chronic health problems.

Dr. Thomas recommends acting fast if you’ve been sick and just don’t feel like you’re recovering like you should, or if you’re in an at-risk group, see your healthcare provider before more serious symptoms set in.