Sepsis symptoms explained as NASCAR's Kyle Busch cause of death confirmed

Kyle Busch's family has confirmed the cause of his death after explaining that he passed away from a 'severe illness' in a statement.

The NASCAR legend suddenly died on Thursday (21 May), at the age of 41, as was confirmed in a joint statement between the company, Busch's family, and Richard Childress Racing.

It read: "Our entire NASCAR family is heartbroken by the loss of Kyle Busch. A future Hall of Famer, Kyle was a rare talent, one who comes along once in a generation.

"He was fierce, he was passionate, he was immensely skilled and he cared deeply about the sport and fans."

Busch was midway through his 22nd season in NASCAR before passing away, and has been survived by his wife, Samantha, and their two children, who are aged 11 and four.

But now, his family has released a follow-up statement, confirming the true cause of the driver's death.

Kyle Busch's cause of death

In a statement, which was shared with USA Today, it read: "The medical evaluation provided to the Busch Family concluded that severe pneumonia progressed into sepsis, resulting in rapid and overwhelming associated complications.

“The family asks for continued understanding and privacy during this difficult time."

According to the Cleveland Clinic, pneumonia is defined as inflammation and fluid in the lungs which are caused by a bacterial, viral, or fungal infection.

On the other hand, sepsis is a severe reaction to an infection that can be considered life-threatening.

This can develop quickly, resulting in the immune system harming healthy tissue and organs, with experts recommending that you seek urgent treatment in hospital.

Why sepsis can be unpredictable

Sepsis is known to be unpredictable, with it being difficult to tell if you're developing the condition, as it can present itself similarly to the common cold and flu in early stages.

This makes it hard to get the assistance required before their health rapidly deteriorates and potentially leads to death.

Some symptoms include fatigue, muscle aches, fever, and a general sense of weakness, though they are both signs of early sepsis and the regular flu.

Sepsis can go from a mild infection to a life-threatening condition within as little as 12 hours, meaning it is key that you can tell the difference between the flu and sepsis.

Symptoms of sepsis

Sepsis may develop and cause any of these symptoms:

1. A racing heart
2. Cold hands and feet
3. Slurred speech
4. Shortness of breath
5. Uncontrollable shivering
6. Confusion or slurred speech
7. Muscle pain
8. Difficulty breathing
9. Blue, pale, grey or blotchy skin, lips or tongue – on black or brown skin, this is easier to see on the palms of the hands or soles of the feet
10. A high or low temperature – a high temperature is less common in older adults
11. Not urinating all day or urinating very little in the past 18 hours

Featured image credit: IMAGO/ZUMA Press Wire