Recognition of acute Sepsis in Primary Care
A recent case elsewhere in the Region has prompted a reminder about the importance of being aware of the possibility of sepsis in primary care. In the case in point a patient with a pancreatic stent in situ developed sepsis and died. Missing overwhelming bacterial infection that leads to death is every GP’s nightmare, and diagnosis can be difficult, but this is a significant cause of death in younger people as well as the frail elderly so it is wise always to keep the possibility at the back of your mind , especially when dealing with a non-specifically unwell patient who has risk factors for sepsis.
The UK Sepsis Trust, in collaboration with the RCGP, has published some excellent guidance that emphasises the need to think of the possibility of severe infection, to make and act upon basic clinical observations, and to safety net patients who are not referred at the time.
