Sepsis Causes a Drastic Increase in Health Risks

When someone suffers from sepsis during a hospital visit, they are far more likely to suffer from a heart attack during the first four weeks after their release than others are. This claim comes from a study that was conducted in Taiwan and was published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. The study confirmed the findings of a study conducted by Danish researchers earlier.

 

For those that don’t know, sepsis is the presence of harmful bacteria in the blood, or other body tissue. The body does not react well to these microorganisms and there is a negative reaction. This can include shock, malfunctioning organs, or even death. Unfortunately, sepsis can occur when another illness is being treated, which is why it can occur in a hospital setting. This is especially the case with the elderly, but there is no age requirement for sepsis.

 

Sepsis may increase the risk of heart attack and stroke.

 

Around the world, about 8 million people die from sepsis each year. In Canada, roughly half of the deaths from infectious diseases are caused by sepsis. This can be a huge problem and can have a very large negative impact on the quality of life of a loved one, even if it does not prove to be a fatal event.

 

Sepsis can be treated, but it needs to be spotted quickly.

 

There are, of course, some implications for us and our families present in these findings. Hospital visits can be inevitable, especially for the elderly, but that doesn’t mean that we can stop keeping an eye on their health during this time. An elderly individual in the hospital should be monitored by family members, if at all possible. This way, if something out of the ordinary is occurring, there is another check in place to make sure that it is spotted quickly.

 

Outside of the hospital, increased supervision can be helpful for ensuring the continuation of healing. Having a caregiver helping your elderly parent get through the day is helpful, but it is important that this is a trained caregiver. It’s only when the caregiver knows what to look out for and how to act in an emergency situation can you be assured that your loved one’s health will be as strong as possible. Whether you are worried about complications from a hospital visit, or you just want to ensure that there is a pair of loving eyes watching out for the person that you care about, a trained caregiver can go a long way toward giving you and your family the peace of mind that you need to continue with your daily responsibilities.

 

Have questions about care? Give us a call. We offer in-home care designed to make the lives of your loved one in need and the rest of your family much easier.

 

Finally, it should be noted that the elderly were not the only ones impacted by this study. Researchers stated that individuals between the ages of 20 and 45 were even more likely than those over age 75 to suffer from a heart attack or stroke during that critical four week period following a hospital visit.

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