Pneumonia | Medtick
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Pneumonia

What is it?

It is when the end of your breathing pipes, the air sacks, become inflamed (hot, red, swollen) and filled with fluid (when blood vessel leaks) and/or pus.

  • It can be caught by breathing in bacterial, viruses, fungi (rare), breathing in foreign object or anything harmful to body (rare).
  • People who have a weak immune system or smoke are particularly vulnerable.

Why is this happening?

  • Our body (immune system) overreacts to anything harmful (see causes below) and this causes an increase of inflammation in our body, if this inflammation occurs in the lungs , it is called pneumonia.
  • If the immune system reacts even further , it may affect the rest of the body and this can lead to septic shock where ones blood pressure drops to dangerously low levels and organs stop working properly or fail completely.

For diagnosis:

verywellhealth

Diagnosis Tests

CURB- 65: Each question counts for one point

C– Confusion

U (bun- Blood Urea Nitrogen) levels – greater than 19 mg/dL ( greater than 7 mmol/L urea) – (this optional as one does not always have the measurements)?

R– Respiratory rate of more than 30 breaths per min?

B– Blood pressure systolic [top number is less than 90 or diastolic (bottom number less than 60)]?

65 – The person is 65 years and over?

  • If one score 0 – please see your medical doctor on the same day
  • If one score 1-2 – Please go to hospital
  • If score 3 or more please do not wait phone for an ambulance
CURB-65 score

Others:

Bacterial Pneumonia

  • Chest X-ray
  • Sputum Examination
  • Blood culture
  • Blood tests
    • Complete blood count (CBC):Increased white blood cells (leukocytosis) may indicate bacterial infection.
    • CRP and procalcitonin: Support assessment of bacterial inflammation.
  • Molecular Tests (PCR/NAAT)
  • Pleural Fluid Analysis
  • Pulse Oximetry
  • Arterial Blood Gas (ABG) tests

Viral Pneumonia

  • PCR / RT-PCR
    • Nasopharyngeal swab, throat swab, sputum, or bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL)
  • Rapid Antigen Tests
  • Chest Imaging
  • Blood Tests
  • Bronchoscopy with BAL testing
  • Serology test to detect antibodies

Fungal pneumonia

  • Microscopy:
    • Sputum
    • Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid
    • Lung tissue biopsy
      • Via KOH mount, GMS (Gomori methenamine silver) stain, PAS stain
  • Fungal culture
    • Sputum
    • Bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) fluid
    • Lung tissue biopsy
      • Performed on Sabouraud dextrose agar (SDA)
  • Antigen Detection Tests
  • PCR / Molecular Tests
  • Histopathology
  • Chest CT/X-ray

Oxygen Saturation test (via Oxygen level meter)

  • Oxygen saturation (SpO2) is an important diagnostic tool for COVID-19 pneumonia, and measures the amount of haemoglobin-bound oxygen and free oxygen.
  • The partial pressure of arterial O2 (PaO2) is measured by arterial blood gas monitoring. In healthy individuals, SpO2 is usually >95%.
  • In patients with chronic lung disease or sleep apnoea, SpO2 can range between 88–92%.

McNicholas W, Kent, Mitchell. Hypoxemia in patients with COPD: cause, effects, and disease progression. COPD 2011;:199. doi:10.2147/copd.s10611

  • In SARS-CoV-2 infection, patients have low SpO2 levels.
  • A phenomenon known as ‘silent hypoxia’ is reported, where patients present with minimal symptoms yet have significantly reduced pulse oximetry readings below 91%, particularly in the short term.

Attaway AH, Scheraga RG, Bhimraj A, et al. Severe covid-19 pneumonia: pathogenesis and clinical management. BMJ 2021;:n436. doi:10.1136/bmj.n436

Chandra A, Chakraborty U, Pal J, et al. Silent hypoxia: a frequently overlooked clinical entity in patients with COVID-19. BMJ Case Rep 2020;13:e237207. doi:10.1136/bcr-2020-237207.

Do not take Ibuprofen and other NSAIDs as it may worsen the condition. Ibuprofen and other NSAIDs is not recommended in asthma or asthma type symptoms. Check with your Medical doctor/Pharmacist when one can have any type of fever reducing medication to make sure it suitable for you

Cause

Bacterial:

Fungal:

Viral:

Medication

Pneumocystis

Aspirated pneumonia

Treatment

  • Chemotherapy radiation to treat cancer of the head or neck
  • Surgery to head and/or neck
  • Use of a feeding tube or ventilator that allows bacteria to travel to your lungs

Medication

Chronic eosinophilic pneumonia (Carrington’s disease)

Hypersensitivity pneumonitis

  • Unknown

Others:

Symptoms

  • High temperature greater than 38°C (100°F) or over and/or chills and sweats longer than 72 hours?
  • Initially a persistent dry cough which has now become a chesty cough with yellow/green and/or blood stained phlegm?
  • Dry cough longer than three weeks and/or breathing difficulties?
  • Difficulty breathing, rapid and shallow, feel breathlessness even when resting?
  • Wheezing (high pitched, musical sound)?
  • Rapid heart beating?
  • Rib cage is pulled upwards and inwards?
  • Balance and dizziness problems?
  • General discomfort (muscle weakness), uneasiness or ill feeling (malaise) and/or fatigue (tiredness)?
  • Headache which is on and off or a constant headache longer than 24 hours?
  • Aching, painful muscles, muscle cramps/spasms/stiffness?
  • Joint pain and/or stiffness?
  • Reactive arthritis (have arthritis symptoms even if have infection elsewhere on body)?

Nail changes:

Complications /Information to beware of/General tips:

Medical Emergency

And/or do not wait, phone for an ambulance if have or develop:

Iodine levels tests (Iododerma)

  • Regular tests for iodine should be checked particularly if have kidney disease and/or facial rash on face and/or eyelids.

What to do if one has pneumonia?

  • Sleep on your stomach at all time, then get out of bed, move your arms frequently around and walk for 15- 30 minutes every two hours (set an alarm clock), no matter how tired and weak one is, this promotes blood circulation and reduce pressure in ones lungs.
  • During the day, sit up straight and do not recline back when sitting , again walk and move around every half an hour.
  • Breath in through your nose and out from your mouth to build up your lungs and help to remove fluid from the lungs
  • Eat potassium rich foods i.e. eggs, banana’s, avocado’s, asparagus, vegetable’s, to keep energy levels up , peanut butter (has high protein and magnesium) and vitamin C products i.e. blueberries, oranges, smoothies and plenty of water to prevent dehydration.
  • Foods and supplements containing vitamin B, vitamin D, and Zinc will also help as they help to boot one’s energy levels and help with the immune system (also look at cold and flu treatments – vitamins and herbals)
  • Do not drink anything cold, have it warm , honey (boost immune system) and lemon (vitamin c) may help with the cough.
  • Peppermint tea (help with stomach cramps) and apple cider vinegar has antibacterial and anti-fungal properties may help.
  • Cut down on red and/or fatty meats.
  • Consider products like turmeric, onions, ginger, garlic, herbs and vegetables (maybe have warm soups and broths), these products have a range of antiseptic, circulation promoting , antioxidants, vitamin and mineral and anti-bacterial properties and anti-fungal properties.
  • Have probiotic yogurts, drinks and supplements to replace the good bacteria in your gut.
  • If one has fever, paracetamol may help (speak to your pharmacist) to make sure it does not interact with existing medical conditions and/or medication one may currently have and/or using (particularly if one takes existing pain relief and cold and flu products).
  • If one is bed bound, talk to your medical doctor on whether one can have aspirin 75mg tablets to prevent blood clots.

This condition may show similar symptoms to:

Please talk to your healthcare professional (i.e. Medical Doctor/Pharmacist) for further advice

Detailed Information

Please copy and paste any key words from the title: Pneumonia in the following respective 'Medtick References and/or Sources' to find out more about the disease (this also may include diagnosis tests and generic medical treatments).

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  • Nathnac

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