Sepsis

Studies show that the rapid administration of antibiotics has been generally associated with a decrease in deaths among hospitalized patients with sepsis. However, the need to quickly administer effective therapy can lead to clinicians turning to broad-spectrum antibiotics, which can exacerbate antimicrobial resistance (AMR). Because AMR is a major healthcare concern—including for patients with sepsis—improving the alignment between sepsis protocols and antimicrobial stewardship (AMS) guidelines is important for patient care.

Because anyone can get an infection, anyone can get an infection that leads to sepsis. Signs of sepsis, are, for instancefever or low temperature, confusion, difficulty breathing, high heart rate, and low urine output. Seeking medical care immediately is critical.

Reducing deaths from sepsis is directly dependent on identifying sepsis early and quickly beginning appropriate antimicrobial treatment. Fast and accurate diagnosis may also shorten the length of a hospital stay for patients and reduce the emergence of bacteria that are resistant to multiple antibiotics.

In 2018, 22-year-old Leticia Batista presented to the emergency department of a São Paulo hospital with fever, a sore throat, a runny nose, and very low blood pressure. She was given vasopressors, but quickly lost consciousness. That was the beginning of a long nightmare… Leticia was diagnosed with community-acquired pneumonia caused by Streptococcus pyogenes, which had rapidly developed into severe sepsis.

Antibiotics are crucial for treating infections that cause sepsis in newborns, but antibiotic overuse or misuse can also have negative effects. Find out why diagnostics and antimicrobial stewardship are critical for guiding treatment in the NICU.