A life-threatening condition caused by a dysregulated response to an infection that results in organ dysfunction.
Sepsis occurs when the body’s response to an infection becomes harmful rather than remaining appropriately controlled. The resulting immune, inflammatory, circulatory, and other physiological disturbances can impair the function of organs such as the lungs, kidneys, brain, and heart.
Sepsis is a medical emergency. It can arise from infections in many parts of the body and can occur in people of any age, although some people are at higher risk.
QUICK FACT
Sepsis is not simply another word for a severe infection. It refers specifically to infection-associated organ dysfunction caused by a dysregulated host response.
COMMONLY CONFUSED WITH
- Infection: the presence and establishment of an infectious agent in the body; an infection does not necessarily cause sepsis.
- Septic shock: a particularly severe form of sepsis involving profound circulatory and metabolic abnormalities and a substantially higher risk of death.
SEE ALSO