Reduce risk for urinary tract infections

Urinary tract infections, or UTIs, are common in women. Although uncomfortable, they don’t often lead to serious complications. So it made headlines when 65-year-old actress Tanya Roberts died early this year from a urinary tract infection that developed into sepsis.

Dr. Suzette Sutherland, director of female urology at the University of Washington School of Medicine, says it’s rare for a UTI to progress to sepsis.

“When something like this gets into the media, then so many women think, 'Oh my gosh, I have urinary tract infections. What does this mean for me? Will I get septic? And will I die?' Again, the vast majority of urinary tract infections do not develop into full-blown sepsis,” Sutherland said.

In the video below and our accompanying blog post, Sutherland describes common UTI symptoms, treatment options and the No.1 preventive step.

Downloadable media resources:

UW Medicine