Infectious diseases account for one third of all deaths in people 65 and older. Sepsis, also known as systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), is a serious medical condition caused by the body’s response to an infection. Sepsis can lead to widespread inflammation and blood clotting, which reduces blood flow to limbs and vital organs and can eventually lead to organ failure and death.
Why are the elderly at a higher risk?
More than 750,000 people develop sepsis each year in the United States, and a majority of them are 65 years and older. This is because the elderly have weaker immune systems due to age, weight loss, malnutrition and other diseases such as diabetes and cancer.
Another risk factor for developing sepsis is medical treatment itself. Even though hospitals take great measures to be clean, there are still ways for older adults to become infected. And because they take more antibiotics, the elderly are more likely to develop antibiotic-resistant microorganisms within their bodies.
Treatments
Doctors’ primary treatment against sepsis is to immediately administer proper antibiotics. Timely antibiotic therapy has been shown to reduce a person’s risk of dying from sepsis by 50 percent.
Don’t wait to get help
Early recognition of symptoms—a change in mental status, confusion, fever or rapid heartbeat—and treatment with antibiotics remains the safest, most effective treatment. It is also important to consume a nutritious diet to keep the immune system strong and able to fight off infection.
Has it been a while since your last check-up, or do you need a new physician? Call us at 317.565.0535 to request an appointment.
Sources: HealthFinder.gov, NCBI.NLM.gov, WomensHealth.gov
