Pneumonia

Pneumonia

    * Introduction
    * Etiology
    * The route of transmission
    * Risk Factors
    * Symptoms
    * Diagnosis
    * Treatment
    * Evolution and complications
    * Prognosis
    * Prevention
Pneumonia is inflammation of lung parenchyma by the action of pathogens.

The most common form of bacterial pneumonia is inflammation, caused by pneumococcus, which is recognized very well in a radiographic examination. The risk of pneumonia is higher if lung tissue is already damaged by pre-existing conditions.

Pneumonia Treatment includes general measures to improve symptoms and medication to suppress pathogens. The mortality rate of patients with pneumonia is relatively large, very dangerous in this respect being nosocomial infections (contracted hospital) with pathogens resistant to current drugs. In severe cases, respiratory or cardiac failure occurs. Currently there are formulations of the vaccine against certain bacteria that cause pneumonia.

 
Definition

Pneumonia is defined as inflammation of lung tissue from an infection that may develop acute or chronic. Besides infectious cause pneumonia, lung parenchyma may swell by contact with chemical or physical irritants. In this case we speak of pneumonia. The lung is a vital process of breathing develops. Oxygen passes from the airways into the bloodstream and catabolism byproducts such as carbon dioxide, is transferred from the blood into the airways to be removed from the outside. Thus, the deterioration of the functionality of life-threatening lung.

 
Classification

Depending on location: Depending on the segment of lung tissue affected is the distinction between alveolar and interstitial pneumonia. In the case of interstitial pneumonia is affected tissue surrounding the alveoli, alveolar pneumonia while aiming even alveoli.

Depending on the extension: A lobar pneumonia: one affecting the entire lung lobe; B. Lobular Pneumonia: affecting one lung lobe. Because in this case there may be one or more inflammatory foci, this type of pneumonia is called pneumonia outbreak.

Depending on the clinical picture: Depending on the clinical manifestations and the responsible pathogens, may be typical and atypical pneumonia, the latter being very rare.

Depending on the reservoir of infection: Pneumonia and can be classified according to the place where the infected patient: Nosocomial-infections (contracted hospital); Non-nosocomial infections (contracted outside the hospital); This type of classification is especially important datortia fact that pathogens in the hospital are usually very aggressive and resistant to usual medications (antibiotics, etc.)..

 
The incidence of pneumonia

Annually register 3 to 5 million deaths due to pneumonia. In Western Europe, I pneumonia ranks among the most common causes of death from infectious etiology. Risk groups are the immunosuppressed persons, the elderly and young children. It is estimated that 5% of all people admitted to hospital suffering from pneumonia. Approximately 1 to 5% of patients have contracted the disease through maneuvers iatrogenic (medical technique). It was found that the peak incidence is largely achieved by the viral pneumonia caused by pneumococcus in the cold months of the year.