Which of the following is not associated with sepsis?

Sepsis is a severe and life-threatening response to infection that can lead to tissue damage, organ failure, and death. Its symptoms and physical signs are typically related to the body's systemic inflammatory response to infection.

Respiratory acidosis is not commonly associated with sepsis but can occur as a secondary complication. It results from a buildup of carbon dioxide due to impaired gas exchange or inadequate ventilation, which typically arises in severe cases of respiratory distress rather than directly from the infective process of sepsis itself.

On the other hand, fever is a typical response to an infection and is commonly experienced during sepsis due to the elevation of body temperature caused by the release of pyrogens. Increased heart rate is another hallmark of sepsis; the body attempts to increase blood flow to vital organs during this overwhelming infection. An altered mental state can result from sepsis as well, reflecting systemic infection affecting the brain or resulting from inadequate blood flow and oxygen delivery to the nervous system.

Thus, the core responses associated with sepsis include fever, tachycardia (increased heart rate), and alterations in mental status due to the systemic effects of the infection. In contrast, respiratory acidosis does not directly correlate with sepsis as a primary symptom, making it