2024-01-21 11:23:24
What is more dangerous than a heart attack, breast or colon cancer? Blood poisoning!
According to current estimates, more than 140,000 people die of sepsis in Germany every year – over 380 people every day.
But at least 190 of them die unnecessarily, reports the Sepsis Foundation. This is shown by a comparison with the numbers of survivors in other countries.
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Sepsis a global threat
According to the Sepsis Foundation, Germany still does not take the issue seriously enough. It’s different in countries like England, Ireland, Sweden and the USA: They reacted when the World Health Organization classified sepsis as a global threat in 2017.
“The hospital mortality rate for severe sepsis in Australia/New Zealand, for example, fell from 35 to 18 percent between 2000 and 2012 after binding quality assurance standards were introduced for all hospitals there,” says Konrad Reinhart (76), senior professor of the Charité University Medicine and chairman the Sepsis Foundation.
In Germany, this mortality rate was almost 35 percent in 2019. “We still don’t have any mandatory regulations,” complains Prof. Reinhart.
48,900,000 people worldwide suffer from blood poisoning every year, and the number is rising. About one in five deaths is the result of sepsis
Non-specific symptoms
The foundation is therefore demanding a national sepsis plan from the legislature in order to prevent cases like that of Fabian (14) from Mönchengladbach. In the spring, no one initially recognized the symptoms of his sepsis. He sneezed, obviously just a cold from swimming.
A few hours later vomiting. In the hospital it is said: viral infection. At home he collapses from septic shock. The organs begin to fail. By helicopter to the Essen University Clinic. The doctors save his life, but any help comes too late for his arms and legs.
Why is the disease hardly on anyone’s radar?
This is due to unspecific symptoms and poorly informed doctors and patients, says Dr. Matthias Gründling (62), head of the SepsisDialog quality management project at the Greifswald University Medical Center.
The number of sepsis cases has risen sharply in Germany. While 13,616 fatal sepsis cases were reported in 2010, there were 19,891 in 2013. However, it is now estimated that there are 140,000 deaths annually due to sepsis, after a recent study examined hospital records again to determine the actual reasons for a patient’s death.
“Septicemia is much harder to detect than, for example, a heart attack or stroke. When patients come to the hospital with sepsis, the only thing they usually hear is: poor general condition. Often neither the patients nor the medical staff have sepsis on their list.”
The intensive care and emergency medicine specialist suggests standardizing the medical treatment path. In this way, certain signs are automatically checked (see checklist) and blood poisoning can be recognized in good time. Because: “It is always life-threatening and always an emergency!”
190 people in Germany die unnecessarily from sepsis every day and 370 people affected per day will suffer from long-term consequences in the future
Prof. Reinhart: “Too many patients are currently dying because the diagnosis is made too late.” But according to the Medusa study, every hour that antibiotic therapy is delayed increases mortality by 0.5 percent.
It is also very important that the population is informed, adds Dr. Gudgeon: “The early signs of sepsis should be generally known.” (Checklist on this page)
If one or more of these signs occur, patients should tell the doctor or emergency doctor “and ideally also mention the word ‘sepsis’ to make them aware of it,” says Dr. Gudgeon.
What is sepsis exactly?
This is the body’s out-of-control reaction to an infection caused by bacteria, fungi, viruses or parasites.
“Normally, when there is a wound or inflammation, messenger substances in the body help to get pathogens under control. In sepsis, these messenger substances are not only directed against the pathogens, but against all cells. Consequence: organ failure, shock and death occur,” explains Dr. Gudgeon.
The main cause of sepsis is pneumonia, followed by urinary tract and abdominal infections.
40 percent of sepsis cases occur in children under the age of five, the largest group of those affected
Who gets sick from it?
It can affect anyone, but sepsis is primarily a disease of old age. Dr. Gründling: “The older a person is, the worse their immune system works and the more risk factors they have, such as previous illnesses or taking medications that weaken the immune system.”
Premature babies and infants are also at greater risk because their immune systems are not yet well developed.
A good 270,000 patients in Germany survive sepsis every year. But many suffer from the consequences.
140,000 patients die in this country every year as a result of sepsis in hospital
These often include fatigue, cognitive impairments, poor concentration, depression, chronic pain, neuro-muscular damage and balance problems.
Professional ability and performance can be severely restricted. A third of patients require care. It is not uncommon for limbs to be amputated as the disease progresses.
Can I protect myself?
Prof. Reinhart: “The best way is to prevent infections or treat them consistently. Vaccinations are particularly helpful for small children, the elderly and people with weakened immune systems.”
This checklist can save lives
Signs of suspected infection:
● Fever or chills
● Cough
● Shortness of breath or difficulty breathing
● Sore throat
● Abdominal pain
● Hard, tender stomach
● Frequent/painful urination
● Cloudy urine
● Pain on the side of the back
● Ear pain
● Stiff neck
● Severe headache
● Red or warm skin
● Pus collection (abscess)
● Pain in the mouth or jaw
● Spinal pain
Additional signs that make sepsis very likely:
● Confusion, change in personality, apathy
● More than 20 breaths per minute
● Upper blood pressure value is less than 100
Additional signs of acute danger to life:
● An unprecedented feeling of illness
● Altered pulse: less than 50 or more than 120 per minute
● Damp-cold or marbled-looking skin
● Extreme pain
Here you can find more information and a sepsis check at www.deutschland-erkennt-sepsis.de
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This article comes from BILD. The ePaper of the entire issue is available here.
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