Slide Show: Sepsis

Sepsis is caused by the body’s overwhelming and life-threatening response to an infection and requires rapid intervention. It begins outside of the hospital for nearly 80 percent of patients. According to a new Vital Signs report released by the CDC, about 7 in 10 patients with sepsis had used healthcare services recently or had chronic diseases that required frequent medical care. These represent opportunities for healthcare providers to recognize, treat and prevent sepsis long before it can cause life-threatening illness or death.