World Sepsis Day: Timely treatment key to navigate life-threatening infection

Immediate treatment is crucial to warding off sepsis a lifethreatening emergency caused by a dysregulated host immune response to an infection said experts on World Sepsis Day on FridayWorld Sepsis Day takes place annually on September 13 and is aimed at raising awareness of the devastating condition that claims millions of lives globally each yearIn 2020 alone there were 489 million sepsis cases globally leading to 11 million deaths representing 20 per cent of all global deathsThe burden is particularly heavy in low and middleincome countries where 85 per cent of sepsisrelated deaths occurIn India there were an alarming 113 million cases and 29 million deaths in 2020 underscoring the urgent need for improved prevention early diagnosis and effective treatment strategiesSepsis can lead to severe outcomes including organ failure septic shock and high mortality rates Survivors may face longterm effects like chronic muscle weakness pain fatigue and cognitive issuesldquoSepsis is a lifethreatening emergency where the bodyrsquos response to an infection spirals out of control leading to selfdamage of organs and impaired functionrdquo Dr Chinnadurai R Lead Consultant Critical Care Aster RV Hospital told IANSThe critical condition often results from bacterial infections like pneumonia urinary tract infections abdominal infections or bloodstream infections Viruses such as influenza and Covid19 can also trigger sepsis while fungal and parasitic infections are less common causesldquoImmediate treatment is crucial and involves early detection administering broadspectrum antibiotics within the first hour providing supportive care for example intravenous fluids oxygen and controlling the infection source by draining abscesses or removing infected tissuerdquo Chinnadurai saidDr Aakashneel Bhattacharya Consultant Infectious Diseases Paras Health Gurugram said ldquoPreventing sepsis starts with taking precautions such as practicing good hygiene keeping wounds clean and covered staying uptodate on vaccinations and seeking timely medical care for infections before they escalaterdquoThe experts also called for raising awareness about sepsis through public education early treatment training healthcare professionals to manage sepsis effectively and adhering to evidencebased guidelines are key strategiesWith timely recognition and treatment the rates of hospitalisation and death from sepsis can be significantly reducedAlso ReadHina Khan suffering from mucositis Experts decode symptoms causes treatmentThis story has been sourced from a third party syndicated feed agencies Midday accepts no responsibility or liability for its dependability trustworthiness reliability and data of the text Midday managementmiddaycom reserves the sole right to alter delete or remove without notice the content in its absolute discretion for any reason whatsoever