Our WhatsApp number cannot be used for calls. This is a chat only number.
Septicemia is a very serious ailment that may develop into a life-threatening complication. This causes when toxins are released into the bloodstream. A common term used for this condition is sepsis. Read on to learn more about this deadly condition, its causes and treatment.
Septicemia is an infection led by microbes such as bacteria (more frequently), viruses or fungi. It is also known as blood poisoning, which occurs when the bacteria start to spread after entering the bloodstream.
A serious complication of Septicemia results in Sepsis. As a result, there is body-wide inflammation that causes blood clots, which also keep blood from reaching vital organs, resulting in fatal consequences.
Septicemia triggers Sepsis, which is a life-threatening response causing damage to tissues and organs and even death.
Once the Sepsis progresses, based on the severity and complexity, it can be divided into the following three stages:
Stage 1 - Sepsis: It is the first stage of Sepsis when the blood infection has resulted in severe reactions of the immune system leading to tissue damage. It is often characterised by high fever, faster heart rate, breathing issues, or confirmed infection.
Stage 2 - Severe Sepsis: The second stage of Sepsis is when the organs start malfunctioning. There is inflammation throughout the body and very low blood pressure. This stage is characterised by a wide range of symptoms such as decreased urination, irregular heartbeat or abnormal heart functions, extreme weakness, chills, mental confusion, etc.
Stage 3 - Septic Shock: This is the final stage of Sepsis, where the blood pressure drops severely. Treatments often include IV fluids. However, it is the most dangerous phase, characterised by hypotension, elevated lactate levels, and other symptoms. This phase witnesses the most cases of mortality.
Septicemia is the infection caused by the entry of bacteria, viruses, and/or fungi into the bloodstream, causing "blood poisoning". Typical symptoms of Septicemia in the early stages are as follows:
When Septicemia triggers Sepsis, which is the body's reaction to germ infiltration, there are severe symptoms that increase progressively. They include:
The common causes of Septicemia are as follows:
The causal germ for Septicemia can be bacteria, viruses, or fungi. However, the most common infections are caused by the following bacteria:
Note that the body can fight a small number of germs on its own. However, if there is rapid growth and spreading, it consequently leads to Septicemia.
Septicemia can affect anyone, but the risk is higher for certain people. The following are the Septicemia risk factors:
In addition to the signs and symptoms are several types of lab analysis and tests available to diagnose Septicemia.
Based on your signs and symptoms, your doctor may give you a specific test to ascertain the condition and find out to what extent your body is affected. The Septicemia diagnoses involve different tests, such as:
The blood test is done to check if there are:
To identify the source of infection, the following lab tests may be done:
Imaging tests are mostly used to identify the site of the infection in case it is not readily found. Some of the standard tests include:
Septicemia is a severe condition that should be treated immediately once detected. With effective treatment in the earlier stage, Sepsis development can also be prevented.
However, people who have developed Sepsis need urgent medical attention and should be hospitalised along with intensive monitoring.
Nonetheless, the treatment of Septicemia or Sepsis depends on several factors, such as:
Septicemia treatment methods include the following:
Depending on the factors mentioned above, medications include:
In case of severe complications for Sepsis or Septic Shock, supportive therapy may be required, such as:
In case the source of the infection is to be removed, doctors can suggest surgery. It includes the removal of abscesses (pus); or removal of infected or dead tissues (gangrene).
If treated aggressively, you can recover fully from Septicemia. However, many cases today show high mortality due to Sepsis and Septic Shock. Therefore, negligence and lack of proper treatment can quickly lead to mortality, sometimes within a day.
Septicemia is a deadly condition and often fatal in nature. Therefore, taking proper preventive measures is always better than seeking a cure.
Following are the general tips you can follow for Septicemia prevention:
Since sepsis is a medical emergency, it is necessary that a patient's family must be aware of its signs and symptoms. If you know someone with Septicemia, and their condition is not getting any better, act fast and immediately get help from a doctor.
Septicemia is a critical clinical condition that needs immediate medical attention. Therefore, you must seek help if you experience any signs and symptoms such as a fast heart rate, high fever, shortness of breath, chills, low blood pressure, etc.
With early diagnosis and appropriate treatment, this condition can be effectively cured. However, in order to avoid going through this painful condition altogether, it is wiser to practice effective preventive measures.
Please try one more time!
Disclaimer #1: *Customer can choose options at the time of availing insurance. Premium amount may vary accordingly. Insured is required to disclose any pre-existing condition or on going treatment before policy issuance in the proposal form.
Disclaimer #2: This information is added only for informative purposes and collected from different sources across the Internet. Digit Insurance is not promoting or recommending anything here. Please verify the information before making any decisions.
Continue with {{bikeCtrl.lastVisitedData.lastVisitedUrl.indexOf('DigitPaymentGateway/payments')
!== -1 ? 'payment completion': 'previous choice'}}
