Doha: Hamad Medical Corporation (HMC) is raising awareness of sepsis – a complication commonly triggered by an infection - and helping the public understand how to prevent the potentially life-threatening condition as part of activities to mark World Sepsis Day.
The critical care team at Hamad General Hospital’s (HGH) Medical Intensive Care Unit (MICU) has launched a campaign to raise awareness of six simple steps to reduce the number of deaths caused by sepsis; the Sepsis 6 Protocol educates staff on the disease, its causes, symptoms and prevention.
“Sepsis refers to an invasion of bacteria into the bloodstream. It is often referred to as blood poisoning. While it can be caused by viral or fungal infections, bacterial infections are by far the most common cause,” said Dr Ibrahim Fawzy, Director, MICU.
“Our awareness activities are focused on simple steps that can be implemented to reduce the condition’s potentially devastating effects. Ensuring our staff, and the public are able to spot the signs of sepsis is the first step in combating it; with this condition, the sooner treatment begins, the better the outcome.”
In recognition of World Sepsis Day, the team also organised a multi-disciplinary symposium for healthcare professionals involved in the care of patients with sepsis. Activities were held in collaboration with Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI), an independent not-for-profit organisation based in Cambridge, Massachusetts.
Considered the leading innovator in health and healthcare improvement worldwide, HMC entered into a strategic partnership with IHI last year to design and develop innovative ways to bring genuine and enduring improvement to every area of HMC’s work.
According to Dr Abdulsalam Saif, Clinical Lead, MICU Registry, about 500 patients with sepsis are admitted to the Medical Intensive Care Unit annually. He said that with sepsis, the body’s immune system goes into overdrive, setting off reactions, including widespread inflammation, swelling and blood clotting. “This can lead to a significant decrease in blood pressure, which can result in a reduction of blood supply to vital organs such as the brain, heart and kidneys.”
According to Dr Fawzy, early symptoms usually develop quickly and can include high temperature (fever), chills and shivering, a quickened heartbeat and fast breathing.
“In some cases, symptoms of more severe sepsis, or septic shock, develop soon after. These can include feeling dizzy or faint, confusion or disorientation, nausea and vomiting, diarrhoea, cold, clammy and pale or mottled skin.”
Dr Ahmed Labib, Clinical Lead, Severe Sepsis Project, said that if not treated quickly, sepsis can lead to multiple organ failure and death. “Sepsis is a potentially life-threatening complication of an infection. Anyone can develop sepsis, but it’s most common and most dangerous in older adults and those with weakened immune systems such as human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) or leukaemia.”
He said that those most vulnerable to sepsis include individuals who are receiving medical treatment, such as long-term steroids that weakens their immune system, very young or very old, pregnant, having a long-term health condition such as diabetes, recovering from surgery, or have wounds or injuries as a result of an accident, on mechanical ventilation (where a machine is used to help with breathing), having drips or catheters attached to their skin, and genetically prone to infections.
According to him, the best defence against sepsis is limiting exposure to infections by washing hands thoroughly and frequently, keeping wounds clean and speaking with the physician about vaccinations against illnesses like influenza and pneumonia. “It is important for everyone to be aware of how sepsis occurs; people should avoid putting their sick loved ones at the risk of developing sepsis when visiting them in hospital. They can do this by observing precautions such as good hand hygiene or refraining from visits when they might have some infection,” Dr Labib said. The Peninsula
