NASCAR icon Kyle Busch succumbed to complications from pneumonia that developed into sepsis, his family announced on May 23. The 41-year-old racing driver passed away on May 21.
In their statement, Busch's family revealed they had received additional information from a "medical evaluation," and explained that the illness resulted in "rapid and overwhelming associated complications."
On the day before his death, Busch was at the GM Charlotte Technical Center when he began coughing up blood, according to a 911 call recording. The emergency call captured a dispatcher receiving a request for an ambulance for an individual experiencing "shortness of breath" and who was "very hot, thinks he's going to pass out."
Indeed, sepsis is the body's extreme response to infection. Without timely treatment, sepsis can rapidly lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death. According to the Sepsis Trust, every three seconds someone in the world dies of sepsis.
So, what exactly causes sepsis, who is at risk, and what are the signs and symptoms? Click through and find out more about this life-threatening medical emergency.