There are many types of pneumonia, differing in severity from mild to severe, or even those which may be fatal.
What it is?
Pneumocystis pneumonia - an inflammation of lung tissue, usually of infectious origin a primary lesion of the alveoli (the development of the inflammatory exudation) and interstitial tissue lung.
The term "pneumonia" combines a large group of diseases, each of which has its own etiology, pathogenesis, clinical picture, radiological signs typical laboratory data and features therapy.
Causes of
Pneumonia - a disease which has infectious origin and is characterized by inflammation of the lung tissue in case of chemical or physical provocative factors, such as:
- Radioactive radiation to which an infection.
- Thermal factors - hypothermia or respiratory tract burns.
- Effect on respiratory system of various chemical agents - poisonous vapors and gases.
- Complications after viral infections (influenza, SARS), Atypical bacteria (chlamydia, mycoplasma, legionella).
- Allergic processes in the lungs - allergic cough, COPD, bronchial asthma.
- Inhalation of liquids, food or foreign bodies can cause aspiration pneumonia.
Cause of pneumonia is the occurrence of favorable conditions for the reproduction of various disease-causing bacteria in the lower respiratory tract. The original causative agent of pneumonia - the fungus Aspergillus, former culprit sudden and mysterious deaths of researchers of the Egyptian pyramids. Owners of pet birds or lovers of urban pigeons can develop chlamydial pneumonia.
Classification
In medicine, there is a difference of several major types of inflammatory reporting, which in turn are divided into several subtypes:
In-hospital (nosocomial) pneumonia:
- occurs in patients who are on mechanical ventilation (ventilyatoroassotsiirovannaya pneumonia);
- developing after hospital stay more than 2 days in a row;
- diagnosed in patients with immune system disorders - for example, after organ transplants.
Community-acquired pneumonia:
- typical - develops in people with normal immune systems;
- SARS - patients expressed different disorders of the immune system (for example, has diagnosed human immunodeficiency virus);
- caused by mycoplasma, Chlamydia and Legionella - is characterized by the addition of atypical symptoms: vomiting, nausea, diarrhea and other symptoms of digestive disorders;
- pneumonia aspiration character - occurs when light enters the foreign objects or substances. Often develops in people in strong alcoholic intoxication, comatose or under the influence of drugs.
Associated with the provision of first aid:
- persons permanently staying in nursing homes;
- patients who are on long-term dialysis (blood purification hardware);
- patients with wound surfaces.
Furthermore, this acute infectious disease is classified according to the degree and severity:
- mild course;
- moderate flow;
- severe course.
Important: the severity of pneumonia can be determined only expert - the output will be based on the severity of symptoms and the level of destruction of lung tissue.
The first signs
The initial symptoms of the disease not just recognize. They can not be, it is rare or weakly expressed. It all depends on the type of pathogen. It is therefore very important to pay attention to the changes occurring in the body.
The first signs can appear in adults:
- weakness and fatigue;
- a slight increase in temperature;
- manifestation of dyspnea (shortness of breath);
- prolonged cough (for several days).
Not just noticed by the disease, threatens to shift it to a severe form with an extensive symptomatology.
pneumonia symptoms
Almost every type of pneumonia has characteristic symptoms resulting from microbial properties of the agent, severity of disease and the presence of complications.
- "Typical" pneumonia is characterized by a sharp rise of temperature, cough, with copious purulent sputum and, in some cases, pleural pain. In the study of: shortening percussion sound, breathing rigid, reinforced bronhofoniya reinforced voice tremor, initially dry, then wet, krepitiruyuschie wheezing, darkening on radiograph. This cause pneumonia Streptococcus pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae.
- "Atypical" pneumonia is characterized by gradual onset, dry, non-productive cough, predominance in the clinical picture minor symptoms - headache, myalgia, pain and sore throat, weakness and malaise with minimal changes to the radiograph. This type of pneumonia caused, as a rule, Mycoplasma pneumoniae (mycoplasma pneumonia), Legionella pneumophila (Legionelloznaya pneumonia), Chlamydia pneumoniae (Chlamydia pneumonia), Pneumocystis jirovecii (Pneumocystis pneumonia).
- Aspiration pneumonia - develops after inhalation into the lungs a foreign mass (vomit during surgery, loss of consciousness, injury, have neonatal aspiration of amniotic fluid during labor and delivery), and the microbes - pathogens of pneumonia - fall into as a part of the light alien mass. Aspiration pneumonia develops the type of focal pneumonia.
- "Secondary": aspiration, septic, against the background of immunodeficiency, hypostatic, post-traumatic and other.
stage
There are three stages of pneumonia, through which all patients. Each stage has its own characteristic symptoms and clinical manifestations.
Stages of development of pneumonia are:
- Step beginning pneumonia. The beginning of the inflammatory process in the lungs characterized by a sharp, sudden deterioration of general condition of the patient on the background of overall health. Sudden changes in the body explains its hyperergic (excessive) reaction to the causative agent of pneumonia and its toxins. The first symptom of the disease becomes a low-grade body temperature (37 - 37.5 degrees). In the first 24 hours it grows rapidly to a level of 38 - 39 degrees and more. High fever accompanied by a series of symptoms caused by general intoxication by toxins pathogen organism. In some cases, the disease begins with symptoms of digestive disorders - nausea, vomiting, diarrhea rarely. Other important symptoms of the beginning stage of the disease are coughing and chest pain. A cough from the first days of the disease. Initially it is dry, but constant. Due to the constant irritation and tension of the chest there are characteristic of pain in the retrosternal area.
- Step height pneumonia. The height of the step is an increase of symptoms of intoxication of an organism, and there are signs of lung tissue inflammation. The body temperature is kept at a high level and are more difficult to treat antipyretics. Expressed thoracic pain due to inflammation of the pleural layers (light membranes), which contain a large number of nerve receptors. Pain have precise localization. The greatest intensity of pain is noted with a deep breath, coughing and torso in the affected side. At the height of the stage is maintained constant cough. Due to the constant irritation of the pleural sheets cough intensifies and becomes painful. In the midst of the disease with a cough starts to separate thick muco-purulent sputum.
- Stage of the disease resolution. Under permission of the disease, all symptoms of lung inflammation goes down. Disappear signs of intoxication of the organism and body temperature normalized. Cough gradually subside and become less viscous sputum, thereby easily separated. Its volume decreases. Chest pain occur only at sharp movements or strong cough. Breathing gradually returning to normal, but is saved in normal dyspnea on exertion. Visually observed slight lag of the chest.
These steps correspond to the pathological changes in the lung caused by an inflammatory process at the tissue and cellular level.
complications
The disease and its outcome is largely dependent on developed complications, which are divided into pulmonary and extrapulmonary.
Pulmonary complications:
- bronchitis;
- abscess or gangrene;
- obstruction;
- pulmonary fibrosis;
- pulmonary atelectasis;
- parapneumonic pleural effusion;
- pleurisy.
Extrapulmonary complications of pneumonia:
- hepatitis;
- endocarditis;
- anemia;
- mastoiditis;
- glomerulonephritis;
- otitis;
- myocarditis;
- meningoencephalitis;
- encephalitis;
- meningitis;
- psychoses;
- sepsis.
In severe acute pneumonia with extensive lesions and destruction of lung tissue develop effects of toxins:
- trombogemorragichesky syndrome;
- acute cardiac, respiratory and / or liver insufficiency;
- pronounced shift of acid-base equilibrium;
- infectious-toxic shock;
- renal insufficiency.
If treatment is not promptly and adequately, these complications can be fatal.
treatment of pneumonia
Prescribe treatment of pneumonia should necessarily specialist. If a patient goes to a doctor in a timely manner, the treatment of pneumonia in adults and a child is successful. How to treat and how to treat this disease depends on the pathogen, provoking disease. It is necessary for successful treatment clearly know how to begin pneumonia and how to recognize it.
Scheme therapy, duration of treatment, the need for placing a patient in a hospital is determined only after the diagnostic technician. Typically, the treatment lasts 7-10 days of illness. Duration of treatment bilateral pneumonia, the lungs of an adult specifies a doctor.
Those who are interested, there die from pneumonia, you should know that the greatest number of deaths occurs in the treatment of this type of illness at home, without consulting a doctor. Hospitalized necessarily need children under 1 year and older patients as well as what to do in case of pneumonia in such cases, can identify only a specialist. In such cases, sometimes you may need intensive care, mechanical ventilation.
Pneumonia is contagious or not?
On the question of "contagious pneumonia or not?" In most cases the answer is yes. Only a strong immune forces can prevent inflammation by destroying the infection if it enters the body, or to suspend the development of pneumonia, limiting the flu or the common cold.
Upon contact with the patient is not necessary to test the immunity of strength, however, and serious fears about their own health is not justified. To minimize the risk of infection (their own and the people around them) should follow some rules:
- Hygiene: hand washing, individual handkerchiefs and towels.
- Avoiding contact of children, people with low immune defenses and elderly patients with.
- To enhance immunity: a balanced diet, emotional stability, elimination of chronic infection, etc..
- Early treatment of influenza, sore throats and other respiratory tract infections.
Performing simple rules to best protect against infection and the development of pneumonia. It should be remembered, strong immunity - protection against many diseases.
