Septic shock is a drastic, sudden drop in blood pressure caused by a condition known as sepsis. Sepsis occurs when you have an infection that causes your immune system to radically alter how your blood system works, making your blood form tiny clots. An infection typically occurs in one location, but sepsis spreads the reaction to it throughout your body. Septic shock can be fatal. According to the Merck Manual of Medical Information, approximately 90,000 people die each year from this condition. Your physician will diagnose you as having sepsis if you have a minimum of two of four typical symptoms, the Mayo Clinic reports.
Body Temperature and Heart Rate
A fever, often thought of as a high temperature, also can mean a temperature lower than normal. For sepsis, your body temperature may be greater than 101.3 degrees Fahrenheit (38.5 degrees Celsius), or it may be less than 95 F (35 C).
A normal heart rate is between 60 and 100 beats per minute, with 80 beats being average. If your heart rate is more than 90 beats each minute and you have another sepsis symptom, accompanied by drop in blood pressure, you may be experiencing septic shock. In more severe cases, your heart may function abnormally due to some form of arrhythmia such as an irregular, rapid or slow heart rate.
Breathing Problems and Infection
Breathing problems--for example, breathing more than 20 times each minute--also can be a sign of severe sepsis, the Mayo Clinic reports. If you find it difficult to breathe normally, it may be a sign that your organs are not functioning properly. Having an infection also is a symptom of sepsis. If you have two or more recognized symptoms, you may have sepsis. If a drastic drop in blood pressure accompanies these symptoms, you are in septic shock.
Mottled Skin
When your blood vessels are not functioning properly, they may show through your skin as mottled skin in various areas. The National Institutes of Health explains that patchy skin is skin discoloration in irregular shapes; it is called mottling when it is caused by your blood vessels. This, too, is a symptom of sepsis.
Urination and Platelet Decreases
As with all of the symptoms of severe sepsis, dramatic reduction in the amount of urine you produce is a sign of organ dysfunction. Typically, another symptom is a reduction in the platelet count in your bloodstream. Either or both of these, along with a severe drop in your blood pressure is septic shock.
Mental Changes
When sepsis becomes severe, it can manifest itself by making your mental faculties alter abruptly. This may mean you are confused or your normal level of mental ability dramatically changes quickly. These changes can be seen in those experiencing septic shock.
