Why Are Sepsis Rates Increasing?

Sepsis occurs when a bacterial infection from one part of the body, such as the kidney or a wound, enters the bloodstream and begins to cause a range of symptoms such as inflammation. Sepsis, a relatively common condition, must be addressed quickly with antibiotics to avoid becoming septic shock. When the infection doesn’t respond to antibiotic treatments, there is an increased risk that the bacteria will be able to enter the bloodstream. When an individual doesn’t respond to the treatment of their sepsis, they may progress to septic shock with a sharp increase in mortality rate.

Traditionally thought to be a condition for the elderly, sepsis is on the rise across the country and increasing affects more and more young people.  The spike in sepsis cases across the country may relate to an increase in the number of drug-resistant bacterial infections in the population, caused by our collective overuse of antibiotic medications and individuals not completing antibiotic courses prescribed by doctors.  These resistant infections make sepsis more difficult to treat.

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