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Old 03-17-2014, 08:19 PM   #1
Doz
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Default Pneumonia in adults

PNEUMONIA SYMPTOMS

Common symptoms of pneumonia include shortness of breath, pain with breathing, a rapid heart and breathing rate, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and a cough that often produces green or yellow sputum; occasionally the sputum is rust colored. Most people have a fever (temperature greater than 100.5ºF or 38ºC), although elderly people have fever less often. Shaking chills (called rigors) and a change in mental status (confusion, unclear thinking) can occur.

The characteristics of pneumonia are different than those of a more common infection, acute viral bronchitis, which does not usually cause fever and does not require treatment with an antibiotic

PNEUMONIA DIAGNOSIS

Pneumonia is usually diagnosed with a medical history and physical examination, as well as a chest x-ray. The need for further testing depends upon the severity of the illness and the person's risk of complications.

Chest x-ray — Chest x-ray and sometimes other imaging studies, such as CT scan, are used for diagnosing pneumonia when the history and physical examination also support the diagnosis.

Sputum testing — Sputum testing requires a sample of sputum, collected from a deep cough. Culture of sputum is used to identify the bacteria that caused the pneumonia and can help determine which antibiotic is best.

Urine antigen testing — Urine tests can be helpful for diagnosing pneumonia caused by two bacteria, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Legionella pneumophila. These tests are easy to perform, and provide rapid results.

Blood testing — Patients who are hospitalized require blood testing, including a complete blood cell count (CBC) and sometimes a blood culture. A CBC measures the number of many types of blood cells, including white blood cells (WBC); these cells multiply when there is a bacterial infection. An increased number of WBCs is one indicator that a bacterial infection, including pneumonia, may be present.

A blood culture is used to determine whether the infection has spread from the lungs into the blood stream. It involves taking a sample of blood from a vein and testing it for bacteria. Normally, there should be no bacteria in the bloodstream. Blood cultures are used to identify the bacteria that caused the pneumonia and to guide the choice of antibiotic. A patient's antibiotics may be changed when results of the blood or sputum cultures are completed (usually after 48 to 72 hours).

Blood oxygen measurement — Pneumonia can decrease the amount of oxygen available in the blood. As a result, a blood oxygen level is often measured by attaching a small clip to the finger or ear that uses infrared light. In those who are sicker, the oxygen level may be measured by withdrawing a sample of blood from an artery.

Bronchoscopy — Patients who present initially with severe pneumonia or who fail to improve or worsen during their hospitalization despite treatment with antibiotics may require further testing with bronchoscopy. In this procedure, a physician uses a thin, flexible tube with a camera to view the trachea and bronchi (the tube between the trachea and lungs). This allows them to look directly at the lungs, collect fluid samples or a biopsy (a small tissue sample), and determine whether there is an underlying cause of infection, such as a growth or inhaled foreign body



PNEUMONIA TREATMENT

The goal of treatment for patients with CAP is to treat the infection and prevent complications. Initial treatment of CAP is based upon the organism that is likely to be causing pneumonia (called empiric treatment). Most patients improve with empiric treatment.

Hospital versus home care — Most patients are treated for CAP at home with oral antibiotics. People who are seriously ill or are at increased risk for complications may be hospitalized. Hospital monitoring usually includes measurement of heart and breathing rate, temperature, and oxygen levels. Hospitalized patients are usually given intravenous (IV) antibiotics initially. The number of days spent in the hospital is variable, and depends upon how a person responds to treatment and if there are underlying medical problems.

Some patients, including people with previous lung damage or disease, a weakened immune system, or infection in more than one lobe of the lungs (called multilobar pneumonia), may be slow to recover and require a longer hospitalization.

Antibiotic choice — A number of antibiotic treatment regimens exist for treatment of CAP. The choice of which antibiotic to use is based upon several factors, including the person's underlying medical problems and the likelihood of being infected with a bacteria that is resistant to specific drugs.

People with certain underlying medical problems and those who have used antibiotics in the past three months have a higher risk of infection with drug resistant bacteria. For all antibiotic regimens, it is important to finish the entire course of medication and take it exactly as directed.


Please read From the Source

http://www.uptodate.com/contents/pne...ond-the-basics


Note My Father had PNEUMONIA 4X in his life and each time it go worse and shorten his life.

I had One time in my life and never want anyone to go through it.
It shorten you life each time.

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