Sepsis scoring: patient-friendly explainer
Hospitals use “scores” to help spot people at higher risk of getting very sick from an infection. A score is not a diagnosis. It is a way to flag risk so that a clinician checks you quickly, orders the right tests, and starts treatment without delay.
Why scores exist
- Sepsis can look like many illnesses early on.
- People can deteriorate quickly — minutes to hours.
- Scores help staff notice danger patterns and escalate care.
Common scores in plain language
- qSOFA: a quick bedside check using breathing rate, blood pressure, and confusion.
- NEWS2: an early warning score that combines several vital signs (breathing, oxygen level, blood pressure, pulse, temperature, and consciousness).
- SIRS: an older set of “inflammation” signs (fever, fast heart rate, fast breathing, blood count changes).
- SOFA: a more detailed organ-function score often used in ICU, requiring lab results.
What matters most for you
Act on symptoms, not numbers. If you are getting worse quickly with a suspected infection, seek urgent care even if you do not know your “score”.
- Red flags: new confusion, very fast breathing, severe breathlessness, fainting/very low blood pressure, blue/grey skin, reduced urine, severe pain, collapse.
- If you are high-risk (older adult, newborn, immunocompromised, asplenia), treat “not right” illness as urgent.
How Anonamed helps
During sepsis, people may be confused or unable to speak. Anonamed can provide immediate access to allergies, medications, conditions (including immunosuppression/asplenia), and emergency contacts — supporting faster, safer decisions in the golden hour.
- Keep your antibiotic allergies and current meds updated.
- Include immunosuppression and asplenia flags.
- Add emergency contacts and key diagnoses.