When a Body Can't Get Out of Its Own Way
Certain combinations of signs and symptoms are guaranteed to garner the attention of an emergency room physician because they signal a serious, emergent situation. So, when a young woman seen by emergency room doctors displayed tachypnea (rapid breathing), a depressed level of consciousness, and fever, she was immediately admitted to the hospital for further examination. She also exhibited low blood pressure, had not passed any urine that day, and had a bluish tinge to her fingers and toes, a clinical presentation compatible with sepsis. Sepsis is a serious complication of infection that occurs when chemicals released by the body trigger an overwhelming inflammatory response. Without rapid aggressive treatment, sepsis can quickly lead to death.
Inflammation is normally part of what line of defense?
If the immune system functioned properly, what type of white blood cell would be increased in number in this case?
Why was the patient prescribed prophylactic penicillin?