When does multiorgan failure occur?

If a patient suffers from blood poisoning, it is important to make the diagnosis as soon as possible on the basis of clear criteria. As the disease progresses, the patient’s chance of survival also decreases. If the blood pressure drops so low due to the blood poisoning that important organs such as the heart, brain and kidney are hardly supplied with blood anymore, a multiple organ failure and thus the death of the patient is imminent.

What’s septic shock?

The term septic shock is used to describe blood poisoning that has led to an extreme drop in blood pressure with tachycardia. Septic shock can occur in the third and thus last stage of blood poisoning. In this case the organs are no longer supplied with sufficient blood or even no blood at all, and there is a threat of multiple organ failure. The patient’s life is in danger, without a quick intensive care therapy he or she is in danger of dying. However, even rapid medical treatment cannot always prevent long-term damage to organs with poor blood supply.

What does the wound look like from which blood poisoning can develop?

An open wound always carries the risk of infection from pathogens that have penetrated the wound. If this happens, in the worst case it can lead to blood poisoning. The wound is reddened, swells, becomes warm and an accumulation of pus is often observed.

In addition, a throbbing pain can emanate from the wound. However, it is important to note that not every inflamed, painful wound is necessarily blood poisoning. Instead, one should pay attention to whether the typical symptoms of sepsis are present in addition to the infected wound. These include a strong feeling of illness, high fever, chills and rapid breathing.

How quickly do the symptoms of blood poisoning appear?

The course of the blood poisoning disease is divided into three stages. In the first stage of blood poisoning, viruses, bacteria, fungi or even parasites cause a local infection in the body, for example pneumonia. Normally, the immune system ensures that the infection does not spread by acting against the pathogens directly at the site of inflammation.

If the immune system does not succeed in eliminating the pathogens in time and effectively, they enter the blood and the lymph vessels. From here they also reach the organs of the body and attack them. From this point on, every hour is crucial for the course of the disease.

In the last stage, the affected person is in danger of his or her life. Through an overactivation of the immune system, the body’s own cells are now also being fought alongside the pathogens. If a suitable drug such as an antibiotic is not administered as quickly as possible, the affected organs will fail.

They are not supplied with sufficient blood or even no longer supplied with blood at all and this leads to multi-organ failure or even death. Sepsis is therefore a medical emergency that should be treated as soon as possible. Every hour is vital for the person affected.