WASHINGTON (AP) — Sepsis is the body’s out-of-control reaction to an infection — and by the time patients realize they’re in trouble, their organs could be shutting down.

So minutes really matter in treating sepsis.

It’s a killer condition that most people probably have never heard of, and new research shows it’s time they learn.

New York is the first state to require hospitals follow aggressive steps when they suspect sepsis is brewing.

Researchers who studied patients there in the past two years report faster care really is better: Every additional hour it takes to give antibiotics and perform other key steps increases the odds of death by 4 percent.

That’s not just news for doctors or for other states considering similar rules. Patients also have to reach the hospital in time.