When sepsis strikes, the damage doesn’t always end with the infection. Nicole Kupchik is joined by Dr. Mitchell Elkind from the American Heart Association to explore how inflammation during sepsis can overwhelm the cardiovascular system, causing arrhythmias, heart failure, and even stroke. From acute AFib to long-term heart damage and the hidden role of cytokines, we dig into the silent injuries that outlast recovery. Plus, we hear a powerful firsthand story from sepsis survivor Mary Millard, whose cardiac journey illustrates the complex chain reaction that infection can trigger.

Featured Guests:

Mitchell Elkind, MD, MS, FAHA (X: AHAScience), is the American Heart Association’s Chief Clinical Science Officer and serves as the senior staff science leader for all Association initiatives related to stroke, brain health, and new integrated efforts including cardio-renal-metabolic health. 

Key Takeaways:

A startling percentage of sepsis patients experience heart complications, including those with no cardiac history

Sepsis survivors may carry hidden cardiovascular risks for months, or even years, after discharge.

Inflammation and clotting are deeply intertwined, and both can leave permanent marks on the heart and brain.

Sepsis may someday be recognized as a formal cardiovascular risk factor, just like diabetes or hypertension.

Research into statins, GLP-1s, and anti-inflammatory treatments is opening new doors for post-sepsis care.

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To Learn More About Sepsis, Visit Sepsis.org

Produced by: Human Content and Sepsis Alliance

Sepsis is a life-threatening emergency that happens when your body’s response to an infection damages vital organs and, often, causes death. In other words, it’s your body’s overactive and toxic response to an infection. Like strokes or heart attacks, sepsis is a medical emergency that requires rapid diagnosis and treatment. Sepsis can lead to severe sepsis and septic shock. 

Sepsis Alliance is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.