Sepsis is the leading cause of morbidity and mortality with approximately 50 million cases per year worldwide. Many patients who survive an episode of sepsis may experience long-term sequelae, for example, recurrent sepsis, hospital readmission, cardiovascular disease, and increased risk of mortality. 

 A recent population-based cohort study led by Sepsis Canada researchers from Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre explored which characteristics were associated with a higher risk of major cardiovascular events during long-term follow-up after surviving sepsis.

 The study included 268,259 adult patients over the age of 18 years without pre-existing cardiovascular disease who survived a first sepsis hospitalization between April 2008 and January 2017 in the province of Ontario and found that 10.4% of those who survived experienced a major cardiovascular event during long-term follow-up.

 Those patients with risk factors such as older age, male sex, pre-existing comorbidities such as hypertension, atrial fibrillation, and diabetes mellitus, as well as higher severity of the sepsis episode have a higher risk of sepsis-related cardiovascular events during long-term follow-up.

 Dr. Federico Angriman, Intensivist, Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, and lead investigator in this study, concludes that “both classic cardiovascular risk factors and sepsis-specific characteristics are associated with a higher hazard of experiencing subsequent major cardiovascular events after a hospitalization for sepsis.”

 “Future research should seek to evaluate potential mitigation strategies (e.g., statin therapy) in those patients deemed at highest risk, with the overall aim of reducing long-term cardiovascular outcomes in sepsis survivors.” 

Dr. Angriman is available to discuss the results of this study in more detail at direct request.

-30-

Media Contact:

Kristine Russell

Marketing & Communications Program Manager 

Sepsis Canada

communications@sepsiscanada.ca