Often the end result of a pressure sore that has been allowed to progress to an advanced, infected stage can be septic shock, also known as sepsis. This illness is brought on due to bacteria and other germs in the body, however it is the body’s response to these infections that cause septic stock. Once a person, especially an elderly person, succumbs to sepsis, there is a limited amount of time to treat this condition before it can become fatal.
Relationship Between Pressure Sores And Sepsis
When a pressure sore is allowed to progress to a deep, infected wound, there is a higher likelihood that sepsis can occur. In the elderly, it can be a deadly combination. In a study published in the American Journal of Medicine of 21 patients with pressure sores and sepsis, all the patients in the study over 60 years of age died even with treatment.
Pressure sores themselves are not deadly but allow bacteria and infection to enter the body, leading to complications like sepsis that is life threatening. Another study showed that in long-term care facilities like nursing homes, if a patient developed a pressure sore within three weeks of being admitted, there is a 92% rate of mortality. These are staggering numbers and show the desperate need to prevent pressure sores in the first place.
Signs Of Sepsis
If a patient develops sepsis from their pressure sore, they will have already progressed to a sickly state from infection and other symptoms of the advanced pressure sore. However, septic shock will have its own markers as well. The patient will have an extreme drop in blood pressure from the body going into shock and may have very fast breathing. They also may have chills, confusion, fever, a skin rash and shaking.
Treatment Options for Patients With Sepsis
Patients with septic shock are usually admitted the ICU of a hospital. Sepsis causes a lack of oxygen to organs in the body due to lack of blood flow. This lack of oxygen, called hypoxia, can lead to organ damage and failure. There is a short window of opportunity to treat sepsis, usually about 72 hours, before it becomes too late. Intravenous antibiotics are usually given along with oxygen and fluids through the veins. The patients may need a ventilator, kidney dialysis and medications to lower blood pressure.
Prevention is the Key!
Pressure sores can be prevented, especially from reaching the advanced stage that septic shock usually occurs in. Since sepsis is so deadly, every effort should be made to prevent pressure sores, as they are a common source for the bacteria that cause this deadly infliction.
Hospitals and long-term care facilities such as nursing homes should be using all available methods to prevent pressure sores in patients who are confined to bed or a wheelchair. They need to be moved or repositioned every two hours, they need to be regularly checked for the starting signs of a pressure sore and have proper bedding and padding. All medical facilities should know these procedures and make them a top priority for the well being of their patients.
Thanks to the nursing home abuse lawyers in Chicago, Rosenfeld Injury Lawyers, for their assistance with the above article.
Resources:
http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/ency/article/000666.htm
http://www.bedsorefaq.com/septic-shock/
http://www.cpgnews.org/PU/Prevention_and_Treatment_of_Pressure_Ulcers-DT.pdf