2. Why is it important? In England every year: 123,000 cases of sepsis
37,000 deaths
70% of cases start in the community
If admitted to hospital with sepsis 5x more likely to die than if had heart attack or stroke

3. How does that compare?

6. How does sepsis start?
Infection
Sepsis
Septic Shock

7. Where does the infection start?

8. What are the features
The features most clearly associated with the presence of sepsis and septic shock are:
Raised respiratory rate
Altered mentation (confusion, slowed processing)
Hypotension
Notably temperature and tachycardia are not reliable predictors of the severity of infection.
When considering the severity of infection clinicians are advised to assess and record vital signs.
Using an early warning score in adults may be helpful to aid decision making

9. Act quickly Think Sepsis Talk Sepsis Treat Sepsis
For every hour delay in starting treating the risk of dying increases by 7.6%
Think
Sepsis
Talk Sepsis
Treat Sepsis

10. Think Sepsis Has potential sepsis been identified?
Is admission appropriate for the individual?
Calculate an early warning score (in adults)
Arrange rapid transportation to hospital

11. Talk Sepsis If blue light ambulance, say ‘potential SEPSIS’
Inform the hospital team
Share the early warning score with both the ambulance and hospital teams

12. Treat Sepsis Treat the sepsis with oxygen if hypoxic
If meningococcal disease is suspected give the patient Penicillin (if not allergic)

13. What may patients say on phone?
Severe shortness of breath
Extremely cold hands or feet
Palpitations or racing heart
Slurred speech, “as if drunk”
I’ve never felt so bad
Shivering uncontrollably
THINK SEPSIS

14. ITS SEPSIS, NOT FLU....HOW TO TELL.