Systemic inflammatory response syndrome
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In medicine, systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) is an inflammatory state of the whole body (the "system"). It is characterized by :-
- fast heart rate (tachycardia, heart rate >90 beats per minute)
- low blood pressure (systolic <90 mmHg or MAP <65 mmHg)
- low or high body temperature (<36 or >38°C)
- high respiratory rate (>20 breaths per minute)
- low or high white blood cell count (<4 or >12 billion cells/liter).
It can be caused by
- severe trauma
- surgical operations
- burns
- hyperglycemia (high blood sugar)
- acute pancreatitis.
- It can also be caused by infection - in this case it is called sepsis.