An intimate review of one of the deadliest conditions in modern medicine.
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“…A powerful and timely account of sepsis—clear, compelling, and grounded in both science and humanity. A must-read for anyone committed to understanding and combating this global health threat.”
—W. Joost Wiersinga, MD, PhD, MBA, professor of medicine and chair, Division of Infectious Diseases at the Center for Infection and Molecular Medicine (CIMM)
Since the earliest days of medicine, sepsis has been one of its most confounding and dangerous conditions—first emerging in its modern understanding from the trenches of pre-antibiotic battlefields as “blood poisoning” (aka septicemia) but evolving to be understood as an elusive syndrome in which the body’s immune response spirals out of control with immediate and deadly consequences.
In the tradition of sweeping medical narratives like The Emperor of All Maladies and The Great Influenza, Blood Poison traces the history of sepsis from its origins in ancient civilization in the poetry of Homer and the theories of Hippocrates to its establishment in the modern age as the scourge of emergency rooms and hospital wards that is responsible for one in five deaths each year around the world.
In Blood Poison, Parsa Shahinpoor reframes sepsis as a central failure point in modern healthcare. With riveting patient stories, insights from top experts, and moving firsthand accounts of his work as a doctor, advocate, and leader in the field, Shahinpoor brings readers inside the fight to raise awareness about new and effective ways to fight an insidious illness, which—due to the rise of drug-resistant superbugs, viral pandemics, and an ailing healthcare system—is only getting more dangerous.
Praise for Blood Poison
"Dr. Shahinpoor provides an impressive summary of the current understanding of the sepsis syndrome. Like all good mysteries, the reader will be stimulated to ask new questions as we learn the details of what happens when the immune system detects a threat to the human host… in short, all healthcare professionals can benefit from this book.”
—David Gilbert, past president, Infectious Diseases Society of America, and recipient of the IDSA Alexander Fleming Award for Lifetime Achievement
“Parsa Shahinpoor’s fascinating medical text Blood Poison covers the history and treatment of sepsis…keeps people at the center of the [treatment] dilemma.”
—Foreword Reviews
“In the increasing tradition of narrative medical history nonfiction, we're introduced to the history of sepsis. Sepsis, like cancer, is better understood as a category rather than a specific condition, and this book outlines all of the ways that humanity has tried to understand and categorize and catch sepsis cases throughout history. There's a ton to cover, and Shahinpoor does an admirable job trying to balance it between a layperson audience and a medical one. The main testament to his writing ability is that even in the midst of all of the definitions and acronyms, the descriptions of various legislations and committees trying to define sepsis guidance, it still remains an imminently readable book.”
—Kat Cunico, NetGalley Reviewer
“Shahinpoor tells the story of sepsis—from earliest mention in Greek poetry to contemporary management and policy efforts. Through vivid storytelling, he brings to life the patients, families, clinicians, scientists, and policymakers who have shaped our current understanding. Blood Poison is a must-read for the many people whose lives have been touched by sepsis.”
—Hallie Prescott, MD, co-chair, Surviving Sepsis Campaign Guidelines Committee, and International Sepsis Forum council member
“An illuminating medical text, Blood Poison delves into a common, but ill-understood, medical condition, using real people’s stories to tell its tale.”
—Kirkus Reviews
“This was an educational and inspiring book that clearly endorsed early prevention and detection measures as well as public awareness, supported by clinical evidence and personal stories. I highly recommend it.”
—Hayley Goodwin, NetGalley Reviewer
"I am recommending my colleagues pick up this book as soon as it comes out."
—Karis Kleymann, NetGalley Reviewer
"Blood Poison was an informative and eye-opening read. It raised my awareness of sepsis and showed the importance of knowledge, research, and fast action when dealing with serious illnesses.”
—Caz Pasby, NetGalley Reviewer
“What a great read! Although I’ve spent a long time studying sepsis, even I learned a great deal from this amazingly thorough exploration of one of medicine’s most ancient and misunderstood maladies. He does a terrific job both of tracing the history and science behind this mysterious syndrome and placing it in a very immediate and intimately human context.”
—Derek C. Angus, MD, MPH, chair, Department of Critical Care Medicine at UPMC, and senior editor, JAMA
Meet the Author
Parsa Shahinpoor, MD, is a frontline hospitalist, teaching physician, and quality improvement leader at Kaiser Permanente Northwest, where he has spent nearly two decades advancing sepsis care—a role that has connected him with experts around the world. He completed his medical training at the University of New Mexico School of Medicine, where he served as an assistant professor of medicine and director of the internal medicine medical student clerkship. Blending science, history, and narrative, he writes to make one of medicine’s most urgent challenges vivid and accessible.
Dr. Shahinpoor is available for interviews, features, book events,
speaking engagements, and appearances. Contact us here.