In the media: Professor Andrew Udy on sepsis and why early recognition, timely treatment and lived experience matter
Professor Andrew Udy, intensivist at Alfred Health and Chief Investigator of the National Critical Care Research Collaboration, recently joined Triple R 102.7FM’s Radiotherapy program to discuss sepsis and why timely recognition and treatment remain critical.
Tune in from the 5min40 sec mark.
Sepsis occurs when the body’s response to infection becomes dysregulated, leading to organ dysfunction. While many infections are common and treatable, sepsis represents a dangerous escalation that can rapidly become life-threatening.
“Sepsis is a dysregulated host response to infection that leads to organ dysfunction. It’s when the body’s own immune and inflammatory response becomes overwhelming.”
In Australia, the burden is substantial. Every 20 minutes, someone is admitted to intensive care with sepsis, yet awareness in the community remains low.
A central message of the interview was the need for vigilance and speed.
“The really important thing is to think: could this be sepsis? Think sepsis and act fast.”
Sepsis can progress within hours. People may feel mildly unwell and deteriorate rapidly, requiring intensive care the same day.
“People can be a little unwell in the morning and later that day be critically ill in intensive care.”
Older adults, infants and young children, people with chronic conditions such as diabetes, and those who are immunocompromised face higher risk. Warning signs such as high fever, confusion, rapid breathing, low blood pressure, rash or sudden deterioration should prompt immediate medical attention.
Diagnosing sepsis remains complex. There is no single test, and clinicians rely on clinical assessment, history and investigations. When sepsis is suspected, rapid treatment is essential.
Professor Udy also addressed the balance between acting quickly and using antibiotics responsibly.
“When a patient presents with signs and symptoms that are very clear for sepsis, we have a strong mandate to administer antibiotics to cover the likely pathogens.”
In Australia, most community-acquired sepsis is caused by organisms that are readily treatable, allowing clinicians to start treatment promptly and refine or de-escalate therapy as more information becomes available.
“If we identify that a patient didn’t have sepsis, we can stop antibiotics early and de-escalate. That’s critical.”
While survival is the immediate priority, the interview also highlighted the often-overlooked longer-term impacts of sepsis. Many survivors experience prolonged recovery, ongoing physical and mental health challenges, and difficulty returning to work or everyday life.
“Six months or a year later, people can still be struggling to get back to the life they had before sepsis.”
Understanding these longer-term outcomes, and what helps or hinders recovery, is a growing focus of sepsis research. Learning directly from people with lived experience is essential to shaping research questions that reflect real-world priorities.
Through Shaping Sepsis Care, NCCR is leading a national priority-setting partnership using James Lind Alliance methodology to identify the Top 10 research questions that matter most to patients, families and clinicians.
🎧 Listen to the full interview on Triple R’s Radiotherapy page (segment begins around the 5min40sec mark).