More than 1.5 million Americans develop sepsis each year, and at least 250,000 die of it. “Detecting sepsis early and starting immediate treatment is often the difference between life and death. It starts with preventing the infections that lead to sepsis,” said CDC Director Brenda Fitzgerald, MD, introducing the CDC’s Get Ahead of Sepsis campaign, which launched in August. “We created Get Ahead of Sepsis to give people the resources they need to help stop this medical emergency in its tracks.”
The campaign is an educational initiative for both the public and health care professionals in hospitals, home care, long-term care, and urgent care. For many patients, the CDC says, sepsis develops from an infection that begins outside the hospital. Health care professionals are not only in prime positions to monitor for signs and symptoms of sepsis in the health care setting—they can also help educate patients about things they can do to prevent sepsis. For instance, people with chronic conditions can take good care to avoid infections that could lead to sepsis.
The campaign website, www.cdc.gov/sepsis, provides fact sheets, infographics, brochures, and other materials to help spread the word.
