Sepsis is dangerous, over thirty percent of those who contract this illness due to an infection and with one million cases throughout the United States according to The National Institute of Health it has become a real problem.
What is sepsis?
Sepsis is the presence in tissues of harmful bacteria and their toxins, typically through infection of a wound. Often this can be caused due to the ill care of a patient and negligence towards the patient from the healthcare team.
How to spot sepsis:
Sepsis can be potentially life-threatening and the symptoms of the illness present themselves differently in both adults and children. Adults should look for the following symptoms:
- Slurred speech or confusion.
- Extreme shivering or muscle pain.
- Passing no urine (in a day).
- Severe breathlessness.
- It feels like you’re going to die.
- Skin mottled or discoloured.
Children present their symptoms differently. Their symptoms will include one, all or a mix of the following:
- Breathing very fast
- Has a ‘fit’ or convulsion
- Looks mottled, bluish, or pale
- Has a rash that does not fade when you press it
- Is very lethargic or difficult to wake
- Feels abnormally cold to touch
If the child is under five they may face further difficulties such as:
- They may not be feeding
- They may be vomiting repeatedly
- They may not have passed urine or have had wet nappy for 12 hours
The dangerous amount of growth in the number of sepsis cases
There are various theories put into place as to why sepsis is growing in numbers across the United States of America. One of the biggest age groups affected by sepsis is the elderly. They suffer from chronic conditions which then leads to sepsis. With life expectancies growing there are more and more elderly that are suffering from this illness.
Alongside this, there has been an increase spotted throughout the country of antibiotic-resistant infections, which can ultimately lead to sepsis development. The final theory is linked to those who require organ transplants. These patients are lucky enough to receive the more and more readily available organs for life-saving procedures. However, unfortunately, due to the immune system suppressing medication, they take they can suffer greatly from a risk of sepsis.
How fast is sepsis diagnosed?
It should be fairly easy and quick for a doctor to be able to notice sepsis. The faster sepsis occurs the higher the chances that the persons risk in suffering life-threatening complications will decrease. If you were diagnosed with sepsis after a misdiagnosis, you should consult with an experienced Hawaii medical malpractice lawyer.
Contact a Hawaii medical malpractice lawyer
If you have suffered sepsis or believe that your health has been damaged as a result of your doctor’s negligence, do not hesitate to seek medical evaluation and contact our skilled attorneys at the Kurzban Kurzban, Tetzeli & Pratt P.A. You have no time to waste, as medical malpractice can be life-threatening.
Get a free consultation by giving us a call at 808-736-5035, or fill out this contact form. We offer a free case evaluation.