Fox Health: Sepsis a top killer in US behind heart disease, cancer: What to know, how to avoid the condition

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Sepsis a top killer in US behind heart disease, cancer: What to know, how to avoid the condition

As Sepsis Awareness Month kicks off, medical experts share the symptoms, risks and prevention tips for the condition, which can occur as a complication of an infection....                        ...                        ...                            ..."You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login" star Vicki Gunvalson, 62, is sharing her recent health scare after she was hospitalized with sepsis, a potentially deadly disease that results from the body's response to an infection......."This entire You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login came unannounced — with no warning," Gunvalson told Fox News Digital.......As Sepsis Awareness Month kicks off this September, Gunvalson's timely story is helping to raise awareness of the illness.......You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login......"Sepsis awareness can and does save lives, yet only 65% of American adults have ever heard of it," Selena A. Gilles, clinical professor and associate dean at New York University Rory Meyers College of Nursing, told Fox News Digital.  ......Gilles is on the advisory board of the Sepsis Alliance, a California-based organization that works across the country to decrease suffering from sepsis. ......"Prompt recognition and treatment can be of great importance in preventing significant illness and even mortality," Dr. Aaron Glatt, chief of You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login at Mount Sinai South Nassau Hospital on Long Island, New York, told Fox News Digital. ......Gunvalson shared the details of her sepsis diagnosis with Fox News Digital......."Two weeks ago, when I was heading to my office, I was very delirious and unclear on where I was going," Gunvalson said via email.......You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login ......"Once I got into the office, my staff realized I was not acting normal," she went on. "My assistant thought that I was possibly having a stroke."......The emergency room diagnosed Gunvalson with a "sinus disease" and sent her home, but by the next morning, she was "extremely incoherent" — so her boyfriend took her back to the hospital......."I was admitted for six days with sepsis You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login," she said. ......Gunvalson was treated with a course of antibiotics and is now recovering at home, while staying in regular contact with the sepsis team at the hospital. ......You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login......The reality TV star has experienced some memory loss and difficulty concentrating, but said she hopes the "brain fog" will improve over time.......In retrospect, the sepsis may have stemmed from a You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login two months ago that was treated by multiple rounds of antibiotics, Gunvalson said.......Common symptoms of sepsis include fever, chills, You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login, confusion, shortness of breath, extreme pain, and clammy or sweaty skin, according to Gilles.......A high fever – especially in those who are at increased risk of infection and are feeling extremely unwell – should warrant seeking You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login as soon as possible, Glatt added......."Fatigue and lethargy in the setting of infection can be a sign of pneumonia and potential sepsis, even without overt pulmonary symptoms," You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login, Fox News' senior medical analyst and clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center, told Fox News Digital. ......You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login......As sepsis can start within hours, Gilles suggested following the acronym "TIME" to remember that time is of the essence when it comes to seeking treatment.......T - Temperature (higher or lower than normal)......I - Infection (know the signs and symptoms)......M - Mental decline (confusion, sleepiness and difficulty awakening)......E - Extremely ill (You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login, discomfort and shortness of breath)......Approximately 1.7 million adults are diagnosed with sepsis every year in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).......The illness kills 350,000 American adults each year and is a leading cause of death in U.S. hospitals, Gilles noted. ......It is the third-leading killer behind heart disease, which takes just over 700,000 lives each year, and cancer, which causes more than 600,000 annual deaths, per CDC data......."Sepsis takes a life every 90 seconds — that's more lives than opioids, You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login, prostate cancer and stroke combined," she said.......Many people mistakenly assume that sepsis is an infection......."Sepsis is the body's overwhelming and life-threatening response to infection, which can lead to tissue damage, organ failure and death," Gilles said. ......The condition can come after any infection — whether just a scrape or cut, a You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login, or even a [bacteria], fungus or parasite — triggers a "chain reaction" in the body, the doctor added.......Another common myth is that sepsis only occurs in those who are (or were recently) hospitalized.......Most cases of sepsis, around 87%, start before a patient enters the hospital, Gilles said.......You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login......"Community-acquired infections, such as You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login infections, pneumonia and even simple cuts or scrapes can lead to sepsis if not treated properly," Gilles noted.......Many people also think sepsis only affects immunocompromised people......."Sepsis can strike almost anyone at almost any time," Glatt said......."While certain individuals are at higher risk of getting a severe infection that can even be deadly, serious infections can strike even a perfectly You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login with rare but potentially fatal consequences," he went on.......Older adults, infants and those with chronic illnesses or weakened immune systems are at a higher risk, however.......The first step is discovering the underlying cause of the infection, according to the CDC.......Sepsis often starts in the You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login, lungs, skin or urinary tract.......Treatment will vary based on the underlying infection, but often involves administering antibiotics as soon as possible......."While antibiotics are crucial for treating an underlying You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login, managing sepsis often requires a comprehensive approach — including fluids, medications to support blood pressure, and sometimes surgery or [a ventilator], depending on the severity," said Gilles.......You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login......Surgery is sometimes necessary to remove tissue damaged by the infection, the CDC states.......It's also important to maintain blood flow to the organs, often with fluids......."If you suspect sepsis, seek medical attention right away," Gilles advised.......The risk can be reduced by quickly identifying and managing infections, according to the doctor.......You are not allowed to view links. Register or LoginYou are not allowed to view links. Register or Login......Added Gilles, "It can also be prevented by practicing good hygiene, staying You are not allowed to view links. Register or Login, staying in good health, keeping cuts clean and dry, and promptly seeking treatment when infections are suspected."...

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