What is Sepsis?

Sepsis is the body’s extreme response to an infection. It is a life-threatening medical emergency. Sepsis happens when an infection you already have triggers a chain reaction throughout your body. Infections that lead to sepsis most often start in the lung, urinary tract, skin, or gastrointestinal tract. Without timely treatment, sepsis can rapidly lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death.

Infections can put you and your family at risk for a life-threatening condition called sepsis.

Anyone can get an infection, and almost any infection, including COVID-19, can lead to sepsis. Each year:

• About 7 million adults in America develop sepsis.
• At least 350,000 adults who develop sepsis die during their hospitalization or are discharged to hospice.
• 1 in 3 patients who dies in a hospital had sepsis during that hospitalization.
• Sepsis, or the infection causing sepsis, starts before a patient goes to the hospital in nearly 87% of cases.

See Sepsis resources below:

https://www.cdc.gov/sepsis/prevention/index.html

https://www.cdc.gov/patientsafety/features/get-ahead-of-sepsis.html

NYSHFA | NYSCAL CONTACTS:

Jackie Pappalardi, RN, BSN
Executive Director
518-462-4800 x16

Lisa Volk, RN, B.P.S., LNHA
Director, Clinical & Quality Services
518-462-4800 x15