Actress Tanya Roberts died of a urinary tract infection that developed into sepsis, a more common outcome than previously thought, especially among older women, doctors say.
Roberts, 65, died at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, his longtime partner, Lance O’Brien, and spokesman Mike Pingel, told NBC News on Tuesday. Roberts, best known for the 1984 James Bond film “A View to a Kill” and the television show “That ’70s Show”, had a urinary tract infection, or UTI, which spread to the kidneys and gallbladder, according to the two men.
The most common type of UTI begins as bladder infections, which usually respond to antibiotics. But it can become potentially fatal if the infection spreads to the kidneys.
Sepsis occurs when the body’s immune system goes crazy trying to eliminate an infection that has entered the bloodstream and begins to attack the organs.
Up to 31 percent of sepsis cases start as ICUs, representing 2.8 million to 9.8 million cases in the United States and Europe, leading to up to 1.6 million deaths, according to the European Association of Urology.
“The kidney is a spongy organ full of blood vessels,” said Dr. Amin Herati, urologist and director of male health at the Brady Urological Institute at the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine. “Whenever bacteria have a chance to rise in the urinary tract, they have easier access to enter the bloodstream.”
What causes sepsis?
Women and girls are at increased risk because their urethra are shorter and closer to the rectum, which facilitates the entry of bacteria into the urinary tract, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Other risk factors for an ICU that can lead to sepsis include:
- age (55 and older)
- diabetes
- kidney stones
- other problems that can cause blockage of the ureter
Once bacteria enter the blood, “the body responds aggressively and can cause damage to the brain, kidneys and lungs,” said Dr. Christopher Seymour, a sepsis specialist and associate professor of intensive medicine at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine . “As the immune system responds, it can trigger a cascade of proteins that affect blood vessels and tissues.”
Sepsis causes the immune response to get out of control, Seymour said
“In some areas it is going too fast and in others it is going too slow,” said Seymour. “This leads to threats to the organs.”
About 1 in 5 people who develop sepsis in the hospital do not survive, “even with all of our best drugs,” said Seymour.
There is no clear symptom that indicates that an infection has turned into sepsis. “In short, no sign or symptom indicates septic, like chest pain, can indicate a heart attack,” said Seymour. “That’s why we often see people who arrive late and can succumb to a treatable infection.”
Sepsis warning signs include:
- Malaise
- High fever
- dizziness
- low blood pressure
- Breathing problems