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Sepsis is a life-threatening reaction to an infection. It happens when the body’s response to an infection begins to damage its own tissues and organs. It can affect anyone and may develop from common infections, including chest infections, urinary tract infections, abdominal infections, cellulitis and infected wounds. Sepsis can progress rapidly and requires urgent treatment in hospital.
During Sepsis Awareness Month, Chase Lodge Hospital and London Urgent Care are helping patients understand the signs of serious infection, the importance of early medical assessment and when to seek emergency help.
An infection may initially appear manageable but can sometimes worsen quickly. Prompt assessment allows a clinician to consider the likely source of the infection, check the patient’s vital signs and determine whether tests, treatment or further hospital care are needed. According to the NHS, sepsis usually develops quickly over a matter of hours. Without treatment, it can progress to septic shock and can be fatal.
Recognising that someone is becoming significantly more unwell, and acting on that concern, can make a vital difference.
Rapid infection-marker testing at Chase Lodge Hospital
At Chase Lodge Hospital and London Urgent Care, our clinicians can assess adults and children who are concerned about an infection.
As part of that assessment, we can perform an on-site point-of-care blood test, with infection-marker results available in approximately five minutes.
These rapid results can help the treating clinician assess the level of inflammation or infection alongside:
- The patient’s symptoms and medical history
- Temperature, heart rate, blood pressure and oxygen levels
- Physical examination
- Other tests or investigations where required
- The clinician’s overall assessment of how unwell the patient appears
Where clinically appropriate, treatment can be started promptly and may include intravenous fluids or IV antibiotics. Patients can also be referred or transferred for emergency hospital treatment when a higher level of care is required.
It is important to understand that an infection-marker test cannot, by itself, diagnose or rule out sepsis. Sepsis is a clinical emergency and must be assessed using the patient’s overall condition, symptoms, observations and relevant investigations.
What are the warning signs of sepsis?
Sepsis does not always look the same, and a patient may not experience every symptom.
Possible warning signs in adults and older children include:
- Confusion, slurred speech or not making sense
- Very fast or difficult breathing
- Uncontrollable shivering or severe muscle pain
- Blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue
- A very high or very low temperature
- Passing very little or no urine
- A rash that does not fade when pressed
- Feeling that something is seriously wrong
- Rapid deterioration
Possible warning signs in babies and younger children include:
- Breathing very fast or struggling to breathe
- Being unusually sleepy, difficult to wake or not responding normally
- Blue, grey, pale or blotchy skin, lips or tongue
- A rash that does not fade when pressed
- A fit or seizure
- Feeling abnormally cold
- Repeated vomiting or refusing feeds
- Not passing urine or having unusually dry nappies
Changes in skin colour can be more difficult to identify on black or brown skin. Check areas such as the palms of the hands and soles of the feet.
When should you call 999?
Call 999 or go to A&E immediately if you think an adult or child may have sepsis, is deteriorating rapidly or has any severe warning signs.
Do not wait for an urgent care appointment or rely on a rapid infection-marker test if sepsis is suspected. Sepsis requires emergency assessment and treatment in hospital.
If you are worried about an infection but there are no emergency warning signs, seek prompt clinical advice. You can contact NHS 111, your GP or Chase Lodge Hospital and London Urgent Care for an assessment.
Trust your instincts
Parents, relatives and carers often recognise when someone is behaving differently or becoming much more unwell. Trust that instinct.
If you are concerned, ask: “Could it be sepsis?”
For non-emergency concerns about an infection, Chase Lodge Hospital and London Urgent Care offer prompt, clinician-led assessment, rapid on-site infection-marker testing and early treatment where clinically appropriate.
If symptoms are severe or sepsis is suspected, call 999 or go directly to A&E.
Chase Lodge Hospital offers fast, flexible private GP appointments in Mill Hill, with direct access to specialist care if your symptoms need further investigation.
Contact Chase Lodge Hospital at Page Street, Mill Hill, London NW7 2ED. We are open 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 6pm at weekends. For more information, call 020 8358 7100 or book an appointment online.
This article provides general health information and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult a qualified healthcare professional for diagnosis and treatment tailored to your individual needs.