Abbassia Chest Hospital
Dr.Mahmoud Abd AlMagid
Hospital Manager
Since 1936 Abbassia Chest Hospital in Cairo is a pioneer hospital in diagnosis and treatment chest cases in Egypt and Middle East ..
What is this condition?
Pneumonia is an acute lung inflammation in which the lungs fill with a fibrous
material, impairing gas exchange. With poor gas exchange, the blood has too much
carbon dioxide and too little oxygen.
People with normal lungs and adequate immune defenses usually recover fully.
However, pneumonia is the sixth leading cause of death in the United States.
Classifying pneumonia
Pneumonia can be classified by location or type, as well as cause .
• Location: Bronchopneumonia involves the lungs and small airways of the
respiratory tract. Lobular pneumonia involves part of a lobe of the lung. Lobar
pneumonia involves an entire lobe .
• Type: Primary pneumonia occurs when a person inhales or aspirates a
disease-producing microorganism; it includes pneumococcal and viral pneumonia.
Secondary pneumonia may occur in someone who's suffered lung damage from a
noxious chemical or other insult, or it may be caused by the blood-borne spread
of bacteria from a distant site.
What causes it?
Pneumonia can be caused by a virus, bacterium, fungus, protozoa, mycobacterium,
mycoplasma, or rickettsia.
Certain factors can predispose a person to bacterial and viral pneumonia-chronic
illness and debilitation, cancer (especially lung cancer), abdominal or chest
surgery, atelectasis (the collapse of air sacs in the lung), the flu, common
colds or other viral respiratory infections, chronic respiratory disease (such
a, emphysema, chronic bronchitis, asthma, bronchiectasis, or cystic fibrosis),
smoking, malnutrition, alcoholism, sickle cell disease, tracheostomy, exposure
to harmful gases, aspiration, and drugs that suppress the immune system.
Factors that predispose a person to aspiration pneumonia include old age,
debilitation, nasogastric tube feedings, an impaired gag reflex, poor oral
hygiene, and a decreased level of consciousness.
What are its symptoms?
In the early stage, a person with bacterial pneumonia may have these classic
symptoms - coughing, sputum production, chest pain, shaking, chills, and fever.
On examination, the doctor may hear an abnormal breath sound called crackles and
discover signs of pleural effusion, abnormal fluid buildup in the lungs.
Effusion is responsible for fever, chest pain, shortness of breath, and a
nonproductive cough.
Complications of pneumonia include respiratory failure, pus accumulation in the
lungs, and lung abscess. Some people develop a bacterial infection in the blood;
if the infection spreads to other parts of the body, it can lead to inflammation
of the brain and spinal cord membranes, inflammation of the heart's interior
lining, and inflammation of the sac surrounding the heart.
How is it diagnosed?
The doctor suspects pneumonia if the person has typical symptoms and physical
exam results, along with a chest X-ray showing pulmonary infiltrates (abnormal
substances in the lungs), and sputum containing acute inflammatory cells. If the
person has pleural effusions, the doctor withdraws some fluid from the chest to
analyze for signs of infection. Occasionally, the doctor obtains a sample of
respiratory airway secretions or inserts an instrument called a bronchoscope
into the airway to obtain materials for smear and culture. The person's response
to antibiotics also provides important dues to the presence of pneumonia.
How is it treated?
Pneumonia is treated with antimicrobial drugs, which vary with the cause of the
disease. Humidified oxygen therapy is given if the person has too little oxygen
in the blood, and mechanical ventilation is used to treat respiratory failure.
Other supportive measures include a high-calorie diet, adequate fluid intake,
bed rest, and pain relievers to relieve chest pain. These supportive measures
can increase the person's comfort, avoid complications, and speed recovery. To
help remove secretions, the person may be taught to cough and perform
deep-breathing exercises.
What can a person with pneumonia do?
• To avoid giving others your infection, dispose of secretions properly. Sneeze
and cough into a disposable tissue .
• To prevent a recurrence of pneumonia, don't use antimicrobial drugs during
minor viral infections, because this may lead to antibiotic-resistant bacteria
in the upper airway. If you then develop pneumonia, you may need to take more
toxic drugs to get rid of the orgamsms.
• Get yearly flu shots and Pneumovax (pneumococcal vaccine) if you have asthma,
chronic bronchitis, emphysema, chronic heart disease, or sickle cell disease.
This page is prepared by
Dr.Bassem Mourad AlSawwaf
Respiratory Therapist