Sepsis is a leading cause of death in the UK; the source is often a community-acquired infection. Early detection and treatment has significant positive impacts on mortality rates. Despite campaigns to improve education around sepsis, there is a significant shortfall in public awareness of the condition. This article aims to aid GPs in recognising this life-threatening condition early, supporting decision making and instigating the appropriate management for patients.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
AngusDvan der PollT (2013) Severe sepsis and septic shock. New England Journal of Medicine369: 840–851. DOI: 10.1056/NEJMra1208623.
DanielsRNutbeamTMcNamaraGet al.(2011) The sepsis six and the severe sepsis resuscitation bundle: A prospective observational cohort study. Emergency Medicine Journal28(6): 507–512.
4.
EstebanAFrutos-VivarFFergusonNet al.(2007) Sepsis incidence and outcome: Contrasting the intensive care unit with the hospital ward. Critical Care Medicine5(5): 1284–1289.
5.
LiuVXFielding-SinghVGreeneJDet al.(2017) The timing of early antibiotics and hospital mortality in sepsis. The American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine196(7): 856–863. DOI: 10.1164/rccm.201609-1848OC.
6.
MarikPETaebAM (2017) SIRS, qSOFA and new sepsis definition. Journal of Thoracic Disease9(4): 943–945. DOI: 10.21037/jtd.2017.03.125.
7.
McPhersonDGriffithsCWilliamsMet al.(2013) Sepsis-associated mortality in England: An analysis of multiple cause-of-death data from 2001 to 2010. BMJ Open3: e002586. DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2013-002586.
8.
NeillSJonesCRolandDet al.(2015) G28: Effective safety netting: An important contribution to avoiding preventable deaths. Archives of Disease in Childhood100: A12.
RhodesAEvansLAlhazzaniWet al.(2017) Surviving Sepsis Campaign: International guidelines for management of sepsis and septic shock: 2016. Intensive Care Medicine45(3): 486–552. DOI: 10.1097/CCM.0000000000002255.
14.
RobsonWPDanielsR (2008) The sepsis six: Helping patients to survive sepsis. British Journal of Nursing17(1): 16–21.
15.
SingerMDeutschmanCSSeymourCWet al.(2016) The third international consensus definitions for sepsis and septic shock (Sepsis-3). JAMA315(8): 801–810. DOI: 10.1001/jama.2016.0287.
WintersBDEberleinMLeungJet al.(2010) Long-term mortality and quality of life in sepsis: A systematic review. Critical Care Medicine38(5): 1276–1283. DOI: 10.1097/CCM.0b013e3181d8cc1d.
