Many years ago, I volunteered at a hospital. 

One of my duties was filling in for the floor secretary (remember, it was years ago) when she went to lunch or was on break.

As part of the job, I had a copy of the census or a listing of all the patients on that floor, so that when a physician or lab tech came to see a patient, I could direct them to the right room.

Next to each patient’s name was their primary diagnosis.

Almost half of the patients had a diagnosis of sepsis. The Internet was not around at the time, and I left my encyclopedias at home with my parents when I graduated college, so I really had no way of knowing what sepsis was, but I could tell it was prevalent.

Fast forward years later and I can tell you a lot about sepsis now and especially how it affects older adults.  And it’s a fitting time to do so, since September is Sepsis Awareness Month.

Sepsis is a life-threatening emergency that happens when your body’s response to an infection damages vital organs and often causes death. It is the leading cause of death for adult patients in U.S. hospitals, but an estimated 37% of U.S. adults have never heard of sepsis.

People over the age of 65, particularly those with health issues, are 13 times more likely to develop sepsis. They make up two thirds of all sepsis cases in the hospital.

The number one risk factor for sepsis is infection.

As your body tries to fight the infection, your immune system may stop fighting and start damaging your tissues and organs. At the same time blood clots may form and result in reduced blood flow, causing further damage.

Sepsis is dangerous in two very important ways.

First sepsis can kill quickly. For every hour that treatment for sepsis is delayed, the risk of death increases by 4–9%. That is why early diagnosis is so important.

Symptoms of sepsis include mental confusion, sleepiness, fast shallow breathing, too high or too low a temperature, sweating and shivering for no clear reason, and feeling very sick. But because symptoms of sepsis vary from person-to-person, older adults and their loved ones may not recognize symptoms as being sepsis and may not seek immediate medical treatment, increasing the risk of death.

Secondly, many older adults may experience long term complications from sepsis. 

More than 40% of adult patients have a repeat hospitalization after their first one for sepsis. They are less likely to return home after their hospital stay, needing skilled nursing care in a facility.

Almost 60% of older adult sepsis survivors suffer impaired cognitive or physical function, sometimes resulting in long term impairment.

The most important factor in preventing sepsis in older adults is to prevent infection and treat it immediately when it does occur.  

Infection can result from wounds or burns, from lung infections like pneumonia, kidney or urinary tract infections, blockages in the digestive system, or infections in catheter sites.

People who have a lowered immune system, have chronic diseases like diabetes or COPD, or spend a long time in the hospital are at greater risk.

I know many of you at this point are thinking about an older loved one who lives at home and how you can prevent or be on the lookout for sepsis. And that’s great. But older adults in hospital settings and skilled nursing facilities are also susceptible. Studies have shown that nursing home residents are 6 times more likely to have sepsis when they enter the emergency room than non-nursing home residents.

Treatment for sepsis may include antibiotics, intravenous fluids, and vasopressor medications to tighten blood vessels.  Sepsis patients may also need supportive measures like dialysis for kidney failure or a ventilator for respiratory failure.

More than 1.7 million people in the U.S. receive a diagnosis of sepsis each year.

It is a life-threatening medical emergency. If a loved one is suspected to have an infection and is experiencing any of the symptoms listed above, see a doctor right away, go to the emergency room, or call 911. 

In each case make sure you say, “I am concerned about sepsis.” You may save a life.