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Septicemia

Alternative Names: Blood poisoning; Bacteremia with sepsis Symptoms: fever (sudden onset, often spiking) chills toxic looking (looks acutely ill) changes in mental state irritable lethargic anxious agitated unresponsive comatose shock cold clammy pale cyanotic (blue) unresponsive skin signs associated with clotting abnormalities petechiae ecchymosis (often large, flat, purplish lesions that do not blanch when pressed) gangrene (early changes in the extremities suggesting decreased or absent blood flow) decreased or no urine output Signs and tests: Physical examination may show: low blood pressure low body temperature or fever signs of associated disease (meningitis, epiglottitis, pneumonia, cellulitis, or others) Tests that can confirm infection include: blood culture urine culture CSF culture culture of any suspect skin lesion CBC platelet count clotting studies PT PTT fibrinogen levels blood gas Text Continues Below

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