The Massachusetts Sepsis Consortium, of which MHA is a member, last Thursday launched its statewide public awareness campaign called Sepsis Smart.
About 270,000 people die from sepsis every year in the U.S. – that’s more than from prostate cancer, breast cancer and AIDS combined. Sepsis is the leading cause of death in U.S. hospitals, but 35% of adults have never heard of it and the majority cannot identify the most common symptoms. The statewide Sepsis Smart campaign aims to educate people about sepsis and what to do if someone they know is showing signs of this serious condition.
The signs of sepsis, which are often confused with the signs of other illnesses, are fever and chills, extreme tiredness, confusion, shortness of breath, lightheadedness, and unexplained pain. The Sepsis Smart campaign wants people to recognize the signs and ask their doctor, when nothing helps and the symptoms get worse, “Could this be sepsis?”