Organ dysfunction
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Organ dysfunction is a condition where an
organ does not perform its expected function. Organ failure is organ dysfunction to such a degree that normal homeostasis cannot be maintained without external clinical intervention or life support
.
It is not a diagnosis. It can be classified by the cause, but when the cause is not known, it can also be classified by whether the onset is
chronic or acute
.
Multiple organ failure can be associated with sepsis and is often fatal. Countries such as Spain have shown a rise in mortality risk due to a large elderly population there.[1]
There are tools physicians use when diagnosing multiple organ failure and when prognosing the outcome. The Sequential Organ Failure Assessment (SOFA) score[2] uses early lab values in a patient's hospitalization (within 24 hours) to predict fatal outcomes for a patient.
References
External links
| Authority control databases: National |
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