Pathophysiology Of Pneumonia Essay

Superior Essays
Pneumonia is an inflammatory infection of the lungs that primarily affects the microscopic air sacs known as alveoli. Pneumonia is a major health concern in the United States and a key cause of mortality and morbidity. Pneumonia can be acquired in the community, in the hospital environment, by aspiration, or inhalation of infective microorganisms (Cilloniz, Martin-Loeches, Garcia-Vidal, San Jose, and Torres, 2016). The purpose of this paper will be to educate and inform on the pneumonia infection through discussing the pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, and the medical management of this disease. The pathophysiology of pneumonia can differ from patient to patient, can be external or internal, and different bacteria can take part in …show more content…
As with any disease, the process of infection entails the pathophysiology, clinical manifestations, and medical management of the disease. The pathophysiology of pneumonia includes both the external and internal factors, along with the many different bacteria that can cause this infection. The clinical manifestations include risk factors such as smoking and weak immune systems, and also all of the signs and symptoms that a nurse could possibly find during a physical assessment. Lastly, the medical management of pneumonia includes three different types of medication, which include antibiotics, anti-inflammatories, and bronchodilators. When one is diagnosed with pneumonia, it is possible that the healthcare team servicing you could include respiratory services, nutritionist, and rehabilitation services. As a nurse one always needs to make sure and educate the client, and make sure he or she understands the treatment process to ensure safe and proper healing. Pneumonia is a disease that infects and takes many lives throughout the United States, but with the right prevention, education of the disease process, and effective treatment this disease could be prevented and lives could be

Related Documents

  • Improved Essays

    aeruginosa is a serious threat to immune-compromised patients. It accounts for 35-40% of urinary tract infections in the hospital (Black 2012). In respiratory infections, such as pneumonia it causes hemorrhages and damages the respiratory airways that can be fatal as it causes an inflammatory response (Descamps et al. 2012). This pathogen is known to be the leading cause of respiratory infection in the world (Descamps et al. 2012), which can be ventilator-associated or hospital-acquired pneumonia. In chronic pneumonia, such as in cystic fibrosis, P. aeruginosa is the most frequent cause of mortality (Descamps et al. 2012).…

    • 761 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Introduction Legionnaires’ Disease is a kind of common pneumonia and caused by bacteria, Legionella Pneumophila. Legionnaires’ Disease becomes more and more in recent years in Hong Kong. Background information The first outbreak of Legionnaires’ Disease happened in 1976 which found in Philadelphia in the United States and caused 34 people to die. It is an acute bacterial disease, its incubation period is 2-10 days.…

    • 763 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Joint Compliance Report

    • 607 Words
    • 3 Pages

    Hospital CAP core measures are comprised of: “CAP-1, Oxygenation (O2) assessment; CAP-2, Pneumococcal screening/vaccination; CAP-3, Blood cultures performed in the emergency department (ED) prior to first antibiotic (ABX) received (Bay Medical Center, 2016); CAP-4a, Adult smoking cessation advice/counseling; CAP-4b, Pediatric smoking cessation advice/counseling; CAP-5, Antibiotic timing; CAP-6, Initial antibiotic selection consistent with current recommendation – Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients; and CAP-7, Initial antibiotic selection consistent with current recommendations – non-Intensive Care Unit (ICU) patients (Commission, The Joint).” CAP-1, O2 assessment allows for an assessment using a pulse oximetry or arterial blood gas (ABG) as a diagnostic tool. Radiological signs are considered the most specific indicator of bacterial pneumonia (MP, 2015;6). CAP-2, Pneumococcal screening/vaccination is done because according to Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the use of the influenza vaccine and use of the pneumococcal vaccine are major preventive measures of CAP (John G Bartlett1, (2000) 31 (2)). CAP-3, Blood cultures performed in the emergency department (ED) prior to first antibiotic (ABX) received is performed because obtaining cultures after ABX were given decreased yield by 50% (Bay Medical Center, 2016).…

    • 607 Words
    • 3 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Ckd Research Paper

    • 1253 Words
    • 6 Pages

    List A: Microbiology of Inflammatory COPD Exacerbation Microbiology Results Indication Sodium Level 142 mmol/L Normal Potassium Level 5.1 mmol/L Normal Chloride Level 101 mmol/L Normal Bicarbonate Level 29 mmol/L Normal Urea Level 7.3 mmol/L High (2.9–7.1 mmol/L) Creatinine 91 umol/L Normal eGFR CKD-EPI 73 mL/min/1.73m^2 Normal Bilirubin Total 10 umol/L Normal Protein Total Level 68 g/L Normal Albumin Level 28 g/L Low (35–55 g/L) ALP 68 U/L Normal GGT 16 U/L Normal ALT 29 U/L Normal AST…

    • 1253 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Explanation of a microbiological algorithm for Hospital-acquired and Ventilator associated pneumonia. This algorithm is intended to deal with the microbiological aspects of hospital-acquired and ventilator-associated pneumonia. The severity of the illness is important in determining when to collect the diagnostic samples and which antimicrobials to administer due to which organisms are present. There are many prognostic scoring systems used to suggest the severity of the disease in patients e.g., The Therapeutic Intervention Scoring System and the Mortality Predictor Model.…

    • 1114 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Decent Essays

    Procalcitonin

    • 201 Words
    • 1 Pages

    Sepsis and its consequences are one of the leading causes of death in Intensive care units (ICUs)[1, 2]. Prompt diagnosis and administration of appropriate antimicrobial therapy are essential for reducing complications associated with sepsis-related organ failure. However, sepsis response is complex and not all patients with infections display related signs or symptoms. The early detection of those patients showing an initial unfavorable course or with an increased mortality risk is essential in order to prevent the progression of organ dysfunction, which would increase the frequency of complications and patient mortality.…

    • 201 Words
    • 1 Pages
    Decent Essays
  • Improved Essays

    PICO Case Study Essay

    • 434 Words
    • 2 Pages

    Not receiving the vaccine O: Reduction of pneumococcal infections Link to nursing practice. The adult population, especially 65 years and over, may be susceptible to many common illnesses. Infections related to Streptococcus pneumoniae are one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the world (de Soarez, Sartori, Freitas, Nishikawa, & Novaes, 2015). According to the CDC (2012), there are greater than 90 serotypes of Streptococcus pneumoniae that have been identified and ten strains account for approximately 62% of pneumococcal infections (as cited in Rittle, 2014). Pneumococcal infections can be bacterial, viral or caused by fungi (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention [CDC], 2014).…

    • 434 Words
    • 2 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Improved Essays

    Health Literacy Case Study

    • 1093 Words
    • 5 Pages

    Health Literacy Training Low health literacy is associated with adverse patient outcomes, increase risk of hospital admissions, readmissions and increase mortality rates. The Institute of Medicine (IOM) report found that 90 million American adults do not have literacy skills to use the health system in the Unites States effectively (Parker & Kindig, 2006). The IOM report defined health literacy as, “ the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions” (Parker & Kindig, 2006, p. 891). The terms health literacy and literacy should not be used interchangeably. Literacy is defined as the, ability to speak, write and read at levels necessary to function in society or in a job (Bass, 2005).…

    • 1093 Words
    • 5 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Hospital-acquired infections in the med-surgical intensive care units (ICU) Introduction In today’s society, more and more people are getting sick day-by-day and ending up in the intensive care units (ICU). A person has to be very sick in order for him or her to end up on that unit. People are admitted to an ICU because they need intense support for failing organs, treatment, and constant monitoring and frequent nursing care. Most patients on the units are on a ventilator, have a urinary catheter in place along with a central line for direct medication administration, which increases the chance of hospital-acquired infection (HAI).…

    • 2364 Words
    • 10 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Clinical Interviews

    • 1502 Words
    • 7 Pages

    Dr. Nick: I am director of one of the largest CF programs and I spend about half of my time with clinical care, both in the hospital and the clinic. I have a large research program that is both clinical trials and I have my own lab as well. Interviewer: On average, how many cystic fibrosis patients would you say are under your direct care? Dr. Nick: Under my direct care probably about 200.…

    • 1502 Words
    • 7 Pages
    Superior Essays
  • Great Essays

    Pathophysiology of pneumonia can vary depending on the offending organism, some viruses may cause direct injury or even cell death, although many organisms may only trigger an inflammatory in the lungs. Increase in blood flow may be triggered by a vascular reaction, and regulation of vascular permeability. In a medical situation such as pneumonia, the neutrophils are activated to help fight the infection by digesting microorganisms and releasing enzymes that would destroy the microorganisms (Brown, 2013). Fluid from surrounding blood vessels, the neutrophils and the offending microorganism fill the alveoli and disturb normal oxygen transportation resulting in signs and symptoms of hypoxia, shortness of breath, (a symptom expressed in Roberts diagnose). With the increase of mucus, the obstructed airflow and with further decrease of gas exchange, thereby normally air-filled alveoli become filled with debris and fluid, this would all exacerbate Roberts condition.…

    • 1330 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Improved Essays

    For older adults, babies, and people with other diseases can become even more ill. This is why in the 70s pneumonia was one of the leading causes of death in children under five. Pneumonia is a lung infection and can make you very ill, but can be cleared up in 2-3 weeks if treated correctly by a doctor. There are many symptoms to pneumonia that include: cough, fever, chills, shaking, diarrhea, chest pains, fast heartbeat, feeling tired and weak, nausea, and vomiting. Many of these symptoms are very obvious and there are a few different causes of this life-threatening disease.…

    • 766 Words
    • 4 Pages
    Improved Essays
  • Great Essays

    Patient Interview Paper The chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a progressive and mostly irreversible deteriorating condition of the function of the lung and disease of heterogeneous with comorbidities. According to World Health Organization (WHO, 2015) the COPD is going to be the third leading cause of death by 2030 and estimated approximately 80 million in worldwide. This is the general term used to explain the numeral conditions inclusive of chronic bronchitis and emphysema. The knowledge of pathophysiology of COPD will help the nurses in nursing process to care of such patients.…

    • 1412 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Great Essays

    Smoking and its effect on chronic obstructive pulmonary disease Elizabeth Thoms BIOL 2458, Brijesh Bridge, 10/11/15 Breathing should not be a difficult process, it is something that we do not even have to think about doing, it happens naturally and this should be the way it always is but unfortunately, for some people, this is not the case. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, better known as COPD is a disease of the lungs where air flow is reduced in the airways making it very difficult to breathe. It is a disease which gets worse over time and cannot be cured. The two most common forms of diseases which contribute to COPD are Emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Emphysema is caused by damage to air sacs (alveoli) in the lungs where gas exchange occurs.…

    • 1366 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Great Essays
  • Superior Essays

    Nosocomial infection prevention is a priority concern for all healthcare workers. A common nosocomial infection within hospital critical care units is ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). Prevention of VAP is crucial since it is believed to increase mortality and length of hospitalization. As with all infections, prevention, early detection, and treatment is required to reduce mortality and decrease costs associated with VAP. Prevention of VAP through research of pathophysiology, epidemiology, equipment, and procedures has been ongoing in the medical community without a proven method of success.…

    • 1499 Words
    • 6 Pages
    Superior Essays

Related Topics