www.tfhd.com
(Tahoe/Truckee, Calif.) – September is Sepsis Awareness Month and Tahoe Forest Health System wants to inform our community of this life-threatening condition.
Sepsis is a medical emergency. It is your body's life-threatening response to an infection. Any kind of infection can lead to sepsis, but common infections include Urinary Tract Infections (UTI), Strep Throat, Influenza and MRSA. Sepsis is not contagious.
More than 1.6 million people are diagnosed with sepsis in the U.S. each year. 258,000 of those patients will die from it. That is more than prostate cancer, breast cancer and AIDS combined.
Knowing the symptoms can save lives:
S - Shivering, fever, very cold
E - Extreme pain or discomfort
P - Pale or discolored skin
S - Sleepy, difficult to rouse, confused
I - "I feel like I might die"
S - Shortness of breath
There is no simple test for sepsis, but it can be prevented by preventing infection. Sepsis can be treated successfully in most cases if caught and treated early.
If you suspect you or a loved one may have sepsis, seek medical treatment immediately.
For more information about sepsis, visit www.sepsis.org.
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About Tahoe Forest Health System
Tahoe Forest Health System, which includes Tahoe Forest Hospital in Truckee, CA, and Incline Village Community Hospital in Incline Village, NV, offers 24-hour emergency care, urgent care, primary and specialty health care clinics including Tahoe Forest Orthopedics and Sports Medicine, Commission on Cancer (COC) accredited cancer center, the Gene Upshaw Memorial Tahoe Forest Cancer Center, and the Joseph Family Center for Women and Newborn Care. With a strong focus on high quality patient care, community collaboration, clinical excellence and innovation, Tahoe Forest Health System is a UC Davis Rural Center of Excellence. For a complete list of physician specialties and services, visit www.tfhd.com.
