Surviving Sepsis Campaign

GLOSSARY

A-D E-H I-L M-P Q-T U-Z

A-D

Abdomen: "Gut" or bowel
Antibiotics: Treatments used for infections
Artificial feeding: Feeding by a tube into the stomach through the nose
Broad-spectrum treatment: Treatment that targets a large number of different microorganisms
Cardiovascular: Heart and circulatory
Coagulation: Blood clotting
Community-acquired infection: Infection caught outside the hospital
Compromised: Weakened
Concurrent Data Collection
          Information that is collected while the event is happening
Cortisone
          A steroid drug that reduces inflammation
Dialysis
          Artificial kidney

E-H

Empiric treatment

Broad-based antibiotic treatment based on prior experience of the microorganism

Fever

High body temperature

Gastroenteritis

Inflammation of the stomach and intestine or "gut"

Hyperglycemia

Abnormally high levels of blood sugar

Hyperventilation

Abnormally rapid breathing

Hypoglycemia

Abnormally low levels of blood sugar

Hypothermia

Low body temperature

I-L

ICU

Intensive care unit

Intravenous catheter

Small tube for dripping fluids into the vein

          Intravenous
Jaundice
         Yellow discoloring of the skin

M-P

Mechanical ventilation
          Breathing machine
Microorganism
          Infecting germ
Multiple organ disease, dysfunction, or failure
          Disease involving more than one of the vital organs, such as the heart, lungs, kidney, liver
Nosocomial infection
          Infection caught within the hospital
Optimal
         Best, most favorable
Outcome Measure
         A measure that indicates if changes are actually leading to intended improvement
Peritonitis
         Infection of the gut wall
Process Measure

         Indentifies if a reliable system has been created that follows the timing, sequence and goals intended
Purulent
         Pus-like
Retrospective Chart Review
         Collecting information after the event has occurred

Q-T

Sepsis

The body’s response to an infection

Septicemia

Blood poisoning

Sputum

Phlegm

Tachycardia

Rapid heart beat

Tracheotomy

Insertion of tube directly into the trachea by a hole made through the skin

U-Z

Urinary catheter

Small tube inserted into the bladder. Also called a Foley catheter

Vasopressor

Drug used to increase blood pressure