Invisible explosions in the body: the deadly chain of sepsis

Symptom, a seemingly strange term, is actually hidden in every corner of our daily lives. It is not a single disease, but a reaction syndrome of whole-body inflammation caused by the infection. A sepsis occurs when the body ‘ s immune system is over-reacting to the infection, causing damage to its tissue and organs. In the absence of timely identification and treatment, sepsis can rapidly progress to a peptosis shock, which eventually leads to multi-organ failure and even death. Understanding the formation of sepsis, its hazards and the response to it are essential for everyone. What’s sepsis? How can this deadly chain be formed? The causes of sepsis are usually infections, and common infections include pneumonia, urinary tract infections, abdominal infections and skin infections. Under normal circumstances, human immune systems identify and attack invasive pathogens, such as bacteria, viruses or fungi, to help restore health. Sometimes, however, such defence mechanisms are out of control, leading to an excessive response from the immune system, which not only attacks the invaders but also wrongly injures their own tissues and organs. This “self-attack” response is the beginning of sepsis. The development of sepsis, like a deadly chain, is difficult to contain once activated. When the body recognizes the infection, it releases a large number of inflammatory factors (e.g. cytogens) to fight the infection. These factors should have helped to control the infection, but in the case of sepsis they have caused extensive tissue damage. For example, increased permeability of vascular walls leads to fluid seepage, loss of blood pressure and insufficient organ infusion, and ultimately multi-organ failure. It can be said that sepsis is like a “invisible explosion” in the body, which spreads rapidly from a small infection point and endangers the whole body. Why is sepsis so dangerous? What are the early identification signals? The danger of sepsis lies in its speed and diversity. Early symptoms are often difficult to detect and easily confused with common infections. However, once sepsis enters a serious phase, it rapidly deteriorates, with fatal consequences. Understanding and identifying early signs of sepsis are essential to saving lives. The following are some of the early symptoms and signals of sepsis: 1. Body temperature abnormalities: heat (above 38.3°C) or low temperature (below 36°C) are common signs of sepsis. While fever is often considered to be a normal response of the body to infection, extreme temperature fluctuations should cause alarm. 2. Cardiac rate: A warning signal of sepsis may be a sign of a heart rate exceeding 90 per minute. The accelerated heart rate reflects the body ‘ s efforts to cope with inflammation and the decline in blood pressure. 3. Respiratory rush: Respiration frequency above 20 per minute may indicate that the body is trying to increase the supply of oxygen in response to the oxygen deficiency caused by sepsis. 4. Conscious change: Patients may display fatigue, confusion, anxiety or even confusion or coma. These are the effects of sepsis on the central nervous system. These symptoms, especially when accompanied by signs of infection, should be highly suspected of sepsis. Timely identification and treatment of sepsis can significantly reduce morbidity. How to deal with sepsis? Early treatment is the key to sepsis as an emergency medical condition that should be acted upon as soon as it is diagnosed. The objective of treatment is to control infection, stabilize blood pressure and prevent further organ damage. 1. Antibiotic treatment: Early use of broad spectrum antibiotics is a key step in the treatment of sepsis. Doctors usually choose a broad spectrum of antibiotics to cover possible strain types before the results of bacterial cultivation come out. The type and dose of antibiotics are then adjusted to the culture results. Liquid resuscitation: Patients with sepsis tend to experience low blood pressure and inadequate organ injection. Through IV, body fluids can be replenished and blood pressure and organ function maintained. Liquid recovery aims to restore normal blood cycles as soon as possible to prevent further damage to organs. Oxygen therapy: Oxygen therapy is used to ensure that organs and tissues are supplied with adequate oxygen, especially in cases where the patient suffers from respiratory rush or low oxygen haemorrhage. Where necessary, mechanical ventilation may be required to support respiratory functions. 4. Surgery intervention: If the source of sepsis is a local sepsis or a bad tissue, it may be necessary to remove the source of the infection from the operation in order to control it effectively. In addition to the above-mentioned medical interventions, the patient ‘ s family and nursing staff should closely monitor the evolution of the condition. If there are signs of infection, in particular if they are accompanied by the above-mentioned symptoms, they should be referred to the hospital without delay. Rapid response and timely treatment are key to saving the lives of sepsis patients. The lethality of sepsis lies in its covertness and rapid progress, but that does not mean that we are helpless. Many lives can be saved by understanding the early signs of sepsis and responding in a timely and effective manner. Although complex and unpredictable, sepsis can be effective in reducing its health risks if it is alert and detected and addressed in a timely manner. As an “invisible explosion” in one body, sepsis reminds us that every seemingly minor infection should be given adequate attention, as it could trigger a chain of deadly reactions. In our daily lives, we must not only focus on health, but also learn to recognize and respond to potential crises and to protect the health of ourselves and their families.