Sepsis - Multiple Organ Failure
Death from multiple organ failure is a high risk in patients with sepsis and septic shock. Treating the illness before the organs start to suffer is vital.
Sepsis symptoms
A patient who is developing sepsis may be exhibiting symptoms such as a high temperature and breathlessness, but if they start to become confused and drowsy, and feeling nauseous with a lowering blood pressure, it may be that their fundamental life-support organs are starting to come under pressure.
Organ failure when suffering with sepsis may be relatively mild or irreversible and life-threatening.
Why does sepsis cause organ failure?
Sepsis is a reaction by the body to a pre-existing infection somewhere in the body, possibly a chest or abdominal infection.
When the body over-reacts to an infection to the point that the patient's blood pressure starts to drop making it difficult for sufficient oxygen to circulate, the organs may start to dysfunction. The patient is suffering with septic shock.
Such a process can affect organs such as the kidneys, the lungs, the liver and the heart.
Recognising sepsis
Sepsis is one of the major causes of death globally as well as in the UK. It is thought that over 40,000 people die of sepsis in the UK each year, with over 10,000 of those deaths being avoidable with more prompt diagnosis and treatment.
Sometimes, this delay may be due to a failure on the patient's part to recognise the severity of their symptoms, thereby presenting to their medical professional once their symptoms have already deteriorated.
However, a failure to recognise the early symptoms by medical professionals can also lead to a fatal delay.
Diagnosing sepsis
Many patients present with symptoms of infection which do not cause sepsis and do not require emergency treatment in the way that a septic patient does.
Consequently, in an attempt to identify patients who may be developing sepsis, a qSOFA screening process may be appropriate.
According to the Third International Consensus Definitions for Sepsis and Septic Shock, qSOFA screening states that where a patient is exhibiting two of the following three criteria, they may be at a greater risk of death from organ failure than those patients who are not showing these signs:
- A high respiratory rate
- Lowering blood pressure
- Altered mental state
Medical Negligence
A failure to recognise or investigate symptoms of sepsis can lead to a catastrophic outcome for the patient. Emergency treatment is recommended for patients suspected of suffering from sepsis and a delay may mean that the patient is entitled to make a claim for compensation.
Contact Glynns Solicitors to discuss your experience if you or a loved one have suffered due to a failure to diagnose or treat sepsis in a timely manner.
Speak to a solicitor
If you or a loved one have suffered from the appalling experience of sepsis due to a failure to recognise or respond to the dangers of sepsis in relation to abdominal surgery, you may be entitled to make a claim for compensation for your suffering.
Contact Glynns Solicitors to discuss your experience with a specialist, medical negligence solicitor.
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