6 signs of blood infection you must pay attention to

Sepsis, or blood poisoning, sepsis, is a dangerous disease that can lead to death. However, the disease is difficult to diagnose. Recognizing even the smallest signs of blood infection will protect you against this "silent killer".

According to statistics from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), every year more than 250,000 people die from sepsis. If left untreated, sepsis will progress to septic shock which affects the cardiovascular system, severely lowering blood pressure and not enough blood flow to the organs in the body.

Treating this condition promptly is the way to prevent further complications from happening to the patient. To do so, you should pay attention to the following blood infection symptoms:

6 common signs of blood infection but little attention

1. Pale and cold skin

When you have a blood infection, your body prioritizes pumping blood to vital organs like the heart, kidneys, and brain over less important areas like the limbs and skin. So the skin is cold and paler than usual. Symptoms gradually become more pronounced as you go into septic shock.

However, cold and pale skin can also be a symptom of many other more benign conditions. Therefore, it is not only based on this sign that diagnoses whether you have a blood infection or not.

2. Urinating less or dark urine

The kidneys are one of the most vulnerable organs to the effects of sepsis. It is especially sensitive to changes in the blood, so a change in urine is also a fairly typical sign of sepsis.

When the blood is contaminated, the body tries to retain as much fluid as possible, resulting in less urine and darker urine due to its concentration.

In addition, dark urine can also be caused by dehydration, which occurs when a patient with sepsis has vomiting and diarrhea. In the worst case scenario, the patient will even stop urinating altogether, leading to kidney failure and death.

3. Signs of blood infection on nerves

Confusion, lack of alertness, and dizziness are all the result of low blood flow to the brain, dehydration, and toxins being released back into the body due to blood infections.

But they are also common symptoms of a stroke or simply due to extreme fatigue.

4. Fast heart rate

A heart rate above 90 beats per minute is likely a sign of sepsis. The body will now try to work to fight the infection, plus increasing blood flow to the damaged tissue. As a result, the heart needs more blood to pump out, leading to an increased heart rate.

Sometimes the heart rate only increases to a certain extent, even if the blood poisoning turns into septic shock. Therefore, it is possible that the disease has progressed to the end stage but the degree of tachycardia has not changed compared to before.

5. Signs of blood infection causing difficulty breathing

Sepsis causes difficulty breathing for two reasons: one is caused by bacteria spreading to the lungs and causing a lung infection that reduces oxygen levels; Second, as the infection progresses, the body needs more oxygen to release the increasing amount of carbon dioxide in the blood. For that reason, you will breathe faster than usual, leading to feeling short of breath.

6. Nausea, vomiting and diarrhea

As mentioned above, when there is an infection, the blood will be moved to the vital organs and neglect the less important organs, one of which is the intestinal tract. Nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea are all problems caused by too little blood to the intestines.

Treatment of blood infections

Early and aggressive treatment increases the chances of survival after sepsis. Patients with sepsis should be closely monitored and treated in the hospital's emergency room.

Treatments for blood infections include:

Take medicine to treat the cause and reduce the signs of blood infection

The drugs used in the treatment of sepsis and septic shock are:

Antibiotics: Treatment with antibiotics should begin as soon as disease is detected. Initially, a broad-spectrum antibiotic will be used because it is resistant to many different types of bacteria.

Once your blood test results are known, your doctor can switch to an antibiotic suitable for the strain of bacteria you have.

Infusion: People with sepsis usually receive fluids immediately within 3 hours.

Vasopressors: If your blood pressure is too low even after receiving fluids, you will be given vasopressors that constrict your blood vessels and help raise your blood pressure.

Other medications to help: include low-dose corticosteroids, insulin to help keep blood sugar stable, drugs to modulate the immune system response, pain relievers, or sedatives.

Oxygen therapy

Surgery

Sepsis is a dangerous condition that progresses rapidly and can be fatal. The disease can happen to anyone. Therefore, you should keep in mind the 6 signs of blood infection above for early detection and timely treatment.