Tanya Roberts had a successful career as an actress, starring in That 70’s Show and in the James Bond movie, A View to Kill. Her life was cut short at age 65 when she died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles in 2021. Why was she unable to recover when she was admitted to the hospital? By the time she arrived at the hospital, the urinary tract infection she had contracted advanced to Sepsis. No one would have thought that Tanya Roberts would lose her life.
At first, Tanya went hiking and she developed lower intestinal pain. She also had difficulty breathing. She was walking her dogs and she returned home to rest. The next morning she fell out of bed and couldn’t get up. That’s when she was taken to Cedars Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles. Tests revealed that she had a urinary tract infection. Unfortunately, it had advanced to Sepsis. She also had a history of hepatitis C. She developed multiple organ failure in the hospital and was placed on a ventilator. Her condition became worse and she died after being taken off life support.
According to the Mayo Clinic, Sepsis is a potentially life-threatening condition that occurs when the body’s response to an infection damages its own tissues. When the infection-fighting processes turn on the body, they cause organs to function poorly and abnormally. Sepsis may progress to septic shock. This is a dramatic drop in blood pressure that can lead to severe organ problems and death. Early treatment with antibiotics and intravenous fluids improves chances of survival.
Former President Bill Clinton was also hospitalized with a rare and serious complication from a urinary tract infection at 75 years old. He was admitted to the University of California Irvine Medical Center’s intensive care unit for a urinary tract infection that spread to his bloodstream, causing Sepsis. The bacteria that grew out was E.Coli, and he was put on broad-spectrum antibiotics. Clinton was eventually released from the hospital.
Several factors increase the risk of Sepsis, including:
- Older age
- Infancy
- Compromised immune system
- Diabetes
- Chronic kidney or liver disease
- Admission to the intensive care unit or longer hospital stays
- Invasive devices, such as intravenous catheters or breathing tubes
- Previous use of antibiotics or corticosteroids
As Sepsis worsens, blood flow to vital organs, such as your brain, heart, and kidneys, becomes impaired. Sepsis may cause abnormal blood clotting that results in small clots or burst blood vessels that damage or destroy tissues.
Most people recover from mild sepsis, but the mortality rate for septic shock is about 40%. Also, an episode of severe Sepsis places you at higher risk of future infections.
For more information visit MayoClinic.org
That is so sad