One of the top reasons why Americans die in the hospital is from sepsis. Some reports claim it is the number one leading cause of death in these settings. But even if it’s simply somewhere in the top 10, that’s still surprising because 40% of Americans haven’t heard of it before.
Essentially, sepsis is what happens when the body responds improperly to an infection. The natural response is too extreme and can be life-threatening. It is a type of blood poisoning. When someone has an infection, bacteria may get into their bloodstream from the injury site. Once it does, it can turn into sepsis, which the blood then carries from organ to organ. In the end, this can turn into septic shock, and patients can suffer from things like tissue damage, amputations, low blood pressure, organ failure and much more.
Emergency medical treatment
When you look at it in this light, it’s clear that sepsis isn’t going to be directly caused by a car accident or a workplace accident. But that accident can lead to serious injuries, such as broken bones, cuts and lacerations, brain injuries and much more. All of these could necessitate emergency medical treatment, so you would be transported to a hospital.
While in the hospital, an infection could develop due to your injuries, and that infection could progress and turn septic. At this point, doctors may recognize that it’s a potentially fatal condition, even if the initial injury wasn’t so serious that such a negative outcome was even considered. Doctors may have thought that you would make a complete recovery, only to drastically revise that prognosis when sepsis sets in.
This diagnosis can be life-threatening and very expensive. It’s important to know how to seek financial compensation.