Sepsis is responsible for the most deaths in hospitals, experts have warned on the occasion of World Sepsis Day, observed on September 13, calling for the adoption of national guidelines for the prevention and treatment of this syndrome.

A consultant in anesthesiology and intensive care, Tina Tomic-Mahecic, has told the Croatian state news agency Hina that last year, more than 8,000 patients contracted sepsis while being treated in hospitals in Croatia.

It is still impossible to provide exact figures, she said, as Croatia does not have a national registry of hospitalised patients who have contracted sepsis and died from the syndrome.

Sepsis accounts for at least 11 million deaths worldwide annually.

Diagnosing sepsis in a timely fashion improves the chances for survival and recovery, Tomic-Mahecic added.

In 2021, a total of 63,553 hospital days were spent on the treatment of this syndrome in Croatia.

The direct costs for dealing with sepsis in hospitals amount to 10.85 million kuna (€1.4 million).