Treating Sepsis

The Care That Supports Your Recovery

When you have an infection, your immune system sends white blood cells to fight it, causing swelling and inflammation. Inflammation is good in small areas for a short time; it helps your body heal. 

But when it spreads throughout your body, inflammation damages tissues and interferes with blood flow. Your blood pressure drops, injuring organs. This reaction is called sepsis. 

Sepsis is a life-threatening condition, but with prompt treatment, most people survive.

Being in the ICU

If you have severe sepsis, you will be cared for in the intensive care unit (ICU). Your care team may include an intensivist — a doctor specializing in critical illness — nursing staff with advanced skills, and specialists.

Antibiotics

Intravenous antibiotics are the first choice to treat sepsis. The type of antibiotic given will depend on where the infection started and what organism is causing it. 

Usually, because the specific organism isn't known immediately and prompt treatment is critical, your doctor will start you on a broad-spectrum antibiotic that treats many kinds of organisms and switch to a more specific antibiotic later. 

Your doctor may change your treatment to oral antibiotics after several days, depending on your condition. It is critical to continue taking them for the complete prescription to eliminate the infection. 

Intravenous Fluids

With sepsis, inflammation causes fluid to move from your blood vessels to your tissues, creating swelling and impairing healthy blood flow. 

When sepsis causes your blood pressure to drop, you will receive intravenous fluids to raise it. Fluids also can protect your kidneys and prevent kidney failure. Your kidneys are sensitive organs and need a steady blood supply to function. 

Blood Pressure

If your blood pressure does not rise with IV fluids, you may need medication. Your team will give you these medications intravenously and monitor you carefully. Your doctor will place a thin tube called an arterial line into an artery to check your blood pressure continuously.

Organ Support

Sepsis can affect how your organs work, and they may need help to continue functioning. If multiple organs are affected, there are limited options for treatment, and you are less likely to survive. Getting help early is the best way to prevent multiple organ failure. 

Lungs

  • Your body needs more oxygen when you have sepsis. You may get oxygen through a small tube in your nose or a face mask. If you have difficulty taking breaths, you may need breathing support. A ventilator is a machine that can assist you in breathing through a tube placed in your throat. 

Kidneys

  • If your kidneys stop making urine, you may need dialysis. Dialysis replaces what your kidneys do by removing extra fluid, balancing the electrolytes in your blood, and removing toxins. A nurse performs dialysis using a specialized intravenous line. You can have dialysis intermittently, like every other day, or continuously for several days. 

Other Treatments

Your doctor may give you other treatments, including:

  • Insulin. Insulin lowers blood sugar. Even if you don't have diabetes, your blood sugar can spike with a severe infection. 

  • Steroids. You may receive corticosteroids orally or intravenously to decrease inflammation. 

  • Blood. You may need a blood transfusion if your blood counts are low. It can also help your blood pressure. 

After sepsis

Sepsis is hard on your body. Being in bed for a long time causes you to lose muscle strength. 

Some people experience long-term effects. Post-sepsis syndrome includes limb swelling, fatigue, joint pain, muscle weakness, and chest pain. These symptoms can last for months or years. A rehabilitation program can help you regain strength. Talk to your doctor about your post-sepsis recovery plan.

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