World Sepsis Day 2022

Written by Mumtaz Hussain

13^th September is annual World Sepsis Day, and an opportunity to highlight this condition and the way we can spot the signs.

Fact and figures

Sepsis is sometimes called septicaemia or blood poisoning, and is a potentially life threatening response to an infection. Sepsis occurs when the body tries to fight an existing infection, and basically goes too far in its attempt to protect itself, leading to an attack on internal organs. If sepsis is not treated early it can result in life changing injuries, and can even lead to death. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) a 2017 scientific publication estimated that there were 48.9 million cases and 11 million sepsis related deaths globally.

The UK Sepsis Trust estimates that each year around 245,000 people are affected by sepsis in the United Kingdom and of those up to 48,000 sadly will not survive. These are huge numbers and where the sepsis has not been spotted it can lead to severe life changing injuries, such as amputation.

Life changing injury compensation

The best way to prevent sepsis is to minimise risks of, or to avoid infection altogether. This is not always possible however and therefore the next defence is to spot the signs of sepsis early and administer treatment. Because the body can deteriorate very quickly if sepsis is present, it’s crucial to spot the signs early. Here at Anthony Gold our team of serious injury solicitors represent clients who have suffered catastrophic injuries because their medical team provided substandard care in failing to spot the sepsis early enough to prevent significant damage. The ideal scenario is to prevent this happening so that the injured patient makes a full recovery.

Signs of sepsis

If there is an infection already present which the body is fighting, there is always the underlying risk that it could turn into sepsis. According to the WHO, some of the signs to look out for are:

• fever or low temperature and shivering
• altered mental state
• difficulty breathing/rapid breathing
• increased heart rate
• weak pulse/low blood pressure
• low urine output
• cyanotic or mottled skin
• cold extremities
• extreme body pain or discomfort

How can we provide sepsis support?

If you or anyone you know has been affected by sepsis then get in touch with our expert legal team and we will help you understand the process for making a claim for compensation.