Pneumonia
Pneumonia is a lower respiratory tract infection which involves lungs particularly the alveoli where gaseous exchage occurs (inflammation of the lung parenchyma due to acute microbial infection with atleast one opacity on the chest X-ray). Pneumonia is mainly caused by infection via bacteria, virus and rarely other microbes like fungi (fungal pneumonia). Risk factors for pneumonia include weak immunity that is seen in old age , childern , HIV/AIDS patients, on steroid therapy, uncontrolled diabetes, splenectomy, obstructed bronchus, bronchiectasis or fibrosis leads to reccurent pneumonia, chronic alcoholism predisposes to aspirational pneumonia.
People often present with cough with sputum/expectoration , fatigue, fever with chills, low boold pressure, headaches, loss of appetite, nausea, vomiting, shortness of breath, chest pain etc. Pneumonia is diagnosed with chest X-ray and/or HRCT (High-resolution CT scan). Management is by admitting the patient in the hospital and treating with antibiotics, oxygen, bronchodilators and mucolytics, physiotherapy for effective coughing techniques, mechanical ventilation may be required in patients with respiratory failure and other supportive care.