How to prevent sepsis
Sepsis is always caused by an infection, most often by bacteria, but sometimes by fungi or protozoa (such as malaria). That means that preventing infection is one of the best ways to prevent sepsis. For centuries, our natural immune system has served to protect us from severe infections.
Modern medicine saves lives, but increases the risk of sepsisMany of the advances in modern medicine actually weaken our immune system, paving the way for severe illnesses like sepsis. These include cancer-fighting (chemotherapeutic) agents; some medicines used to treat severe rheumatism, gastro-intestinal illnesses, or to suppress the body's rejection of a new organ following an organ transplant; as well as long-term use of medicines that weaken the immune system, like cortisone. People with diabetes or chronic liver or kidney diseases are also at greater risk. In addition, more and more older people are having major operations, which further weaken their immune systems and put them at risk of developing infections and sepsis.
Vaccinating children protects their grandparents
Patients with no spleen must be vaccinated and educated on their risk of infection
The indiscriminate use of antibiotics must be stoppedAnother step in reducing the number of deaths resulting from sepsis is preventing bacterial resistance to antibiotics. The excessive use of antibiotics in outpatient care over the past several years has led to a drastic increase in antibiotic-resistant bacteria. This applies to bacteria on the skin (gram-positive bacteria, e.g. MRSA), but even more to fecal bacteria (gram-negative bacteria, e.g. ESBL). The danger posed by bacteria on the skin (MRSA) is vastly overestimated, as they can be treated quite easily in most cases. Appropriate steps in preventing resistance include the targeted and prudent use of antibiotics, which today are often wrongly prescribed for viral infections. Antibiotics regimens in outpatient care and other healthcare facilities are often too long, which also helps to foster resistance. The highly questionable use of antibiotics in factory farming encourages the development of multi-resistant pathogens for which hardly any effective antibiotics exist. Unfortunately, hardly any new, effective antibiotics have been developed over the last years. That's why we support every measure that contributes to the intelligent and streamlined use of antibiotics in medical care and in farming.
Sanitation and clean delivery is a human rightInsufficient hygiene conditions in resource-poor areas for giving birth, treating wounds, and in healthcare facilities in general are a tremendous problem. In some parts of the world, unsanitary facilities or contaminated water cause severe infections in the digestive system, which often end in a deadly case of sepsis. That's why one of our key starting points is the promotion of hand hygiene and good general hygiene practices, clean deliveries, improvements in sanitation and nutrition, the delivery of clean water, as well as vaccination programs for patient populations at risk in resource-poor areas.
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario