The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has launched Get Ahead of Sepsis, an educational initiative to protect Americans from the devastating effects of sepsis. This initiative emphasizes the importance of early recognition and timely treatment of sepsis, as well as the importance of preventing infections that could lead to sepsis.

Public education is critical to save lives since, for many patients, sepsis develops from an infection that begins outside the hospital. Get Ahead of Sepsis calls on healthcare professionals to educate patients, prevent infections, suspect and identify sepsis early, and start sepsis treatment fast. In addition, this work urges patients and their families to prevent infections, be alert to the symptoms of sepsis, and seek immediate medical care if sepsis is suspected or for an infection that is not improving or is getting worse.

3 things to know

• Sepsis is the body’s extreme response to an infection. It is life-threatening, and without timely treatment, sepsis can rapidly lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death
• Each year in the US, more than 1.5 million people develop sepsis, and at least 250,000 Americans die as a result.
• The signs and symptoms of sepsis can include a combination of any of the following: confusion or disorientation, shortness of breath, high heart rate, fever, or shivering or feeling very cold, extreme pain or discomfort, and clammy or sweaty skin.

Take Action

• Access and use the resources in this comprehensive partner toolkit.
• Join CDC and fellow sepsis advocates for the Get Ahead of Sepsis Twitter chat on September 12 at 12 p.m. EDT. Use the following posts to promote the event to your network. Remember to use #SepsisChat in every post!
• Join the Get Ahead of Sepsis webinar to learn more about the campaign and Sepsis Awareness Month activities.
• Tweet this message or create one of your own: Learn more about the risks of #sepsis with CDC’s new Get Ahead of Sepsis initiative. Find more here: cdc.gov/sepsis.
• Share more information with your colleagues and community about Get Ahead of Sepsis and access materials at cdc.gov/sepsis.
• Read personal stories and perspectives on sepsis at: CDC’s Safe Healthcare Blog.