Description pneumonia
Пневмония – инфекция легких. It affects the lower respiratory tract, which include the Bronchioles and alveoli (the air sacs in the lungs).
Causes of Pneumonia
There are three the main reasons for:
- Bacterial pneumonia, вызванная бактериями – чаще всего встречается стрептококковая пневмония;
- Virus pneumonia, caused by viruses;
- Atypical bacterial pneumonia, that can lead to serious and potentially fatal inflammation of the lungs.
Other causes of pneumonia include:
- Грибковые инфекции – в основном у людей, AIDS patients.
Pneumonia is sometimes described by place, where you purchased it:
- Внебольничная пневмония – возникает в группе (eg, at school, at work, gym);
- Внутрибольничная пневмония – возникает во время госпитализации в лечебном заведении;
- Can be very dangerous, especially for patients with lung diseases;
- Aspiration pneumonia – возникает, When foreign substances (often the contents of the stomach) into the lungs.
Risk factors
Factors, that increase the likelihood of contracting pneumonia include:
- Age: 65 and older;
- Flu or other respiratory illness;
- Chronic diseases, such as heart disease or lung;
- Stroke (aspiration pneumonia can occur due to problems with swallowing);
- Weakened immune system due to AIDS or chemotherapy;
- Chronic bronchitis;
- Malnutrition;
- Pregnancy;
- pneumonia often occurs in infants and young children;
- Substance abuse;
- Smoking;
- Prolonged exposure to certain chemicals (eg, work in construction or agriculture).
Symptoms of pneumonia
Symptoms may vary depending on the type of pneumonia.
| Bacterial pneumonia |
Virus pneumonia |
SARS |
| Fever |
Fever |
Fever, often mild |
| Chills |
Chills |
Chills |
| Coughing green, yellow, or reddish mucus |
Dry cough |
Cough; may be made from time to time strong; produces white mucus |
| Pain in the chest |
Headache |
There may be nausea or vomiting |
| Profuse sweating |
Muscle weakness |
Weakness |
| Bluish lips and nails due to the decrease of oxygen in the blood |
Bluish lips and nails due to the decrease of oxygen in the blood |
|
| Confusion |
Weakness |
|
Diagnosis of pneumonia
The doctor asks about the symptoms and medical history, and performs a physical exam. Diagnosis is based on symptoms and chest listening stethoscope. Tests may include the following:
- Рентген грудной клетки – чтобы сфотографировать структуры внутри тела, in this case the chest;
- Компьютерная томография – тип рентгеновского обследования, to make pictures of structures inside the chest;
- Blood tests;
- Бронхоскопия – осмотр верхних дыхательных путей;
- Testing of phlegm and mucus, released when coughing;
- Пульсоксиметрия – измерение количества кислорода в крови;
- Analysis of gases, растворенных в артериальной крови – кислорода, carbon dioxide and nitrogen.
Treatment of pneumonia
Treatment of pneumonia depends on the:
- Type of pneumonia;
- The severity of symptoms;
- Other factors.
Treatment approaches include:
- Для бактериальной пневмонии – прием антибиотиков;
- Для вирусной пневмонии – могут быть предписаны антивирусные препараты для маленьких детей и людей с ослабленной иммунной системой;
- Attention: Antibiotics are ineffective for treating viral pneumonia.
- Атипичная пневмония – антибиотики.
It is very important to take medications, prescribed by a doctor. Early discontinuation of treatment may lead to relapse.
General rules for treatment of pneumonia include:
- Recreation and drinking large amounts of fluids;
- Healthy eating (consuming large amounts of fruit and vegetables). Рекомендуется принимать витамин С – до 1000 mg per day;
- Medications to reduce fever, pain and cough;
- Hospitalization (in severe cases).
Prevention of pneumonia
Some vaccines can prevent pneumonia:
- Vaccination against influenza to persons at high risk of respiratory infections, especially in the elderly (Pneumonia may be a complication of the flu);
- Пневмококковая вакцина – общие рекомендации включают в себя:
- Pneumococcal conjugate vaccine (PKV) – для детей;
- Pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (PPSV) – для взрослых в возрасте 65 and older and for young people, that belong to the high risk of infection.
Other preventive measures include:
- Avoid smoking. Smoke weakens the resistance to lung infections;
- Avoiding close contact with people, who are sick with cold or flu;
- You need to wash your hands after contact with infected people;
- The use of protective equipment (mask, respirator, gas mask) at work, that can cause pneumonia;
- Intake of healthy foods. Particular attention should be paid to enter the body of sufficient vitamin c and zinc;
- It is necessary to fully relax;
- Need to do regular physical exercise.