PNEUMONIA
By: Larissa and Kyla
What is Pneumonia?
• Inflammation of the lung; an infectious disease
- caused by bacteria or a virus
Pneumonia can target:
• an area of a lung
• The bronchioles and pulmonary alveoli
• It can be prevented with simple interventions and
treated with low-cost, low-tech medications and
care
Statistics
• Threatens children, the elderly, and chronically ill of any respiratory condition and
people suffering from a viral infection are at a higher risk of contracting pneumonia
- 200,000 to 300,000 Canadians develop pneumonia each year
- more than 900,000 children worldwide in 2013 dies from pneumonia
- the mortality rate is high as 30% in Canada
- mortality rate worldwide: 15% under 5 worldwide and 2% newborns
- children in poor and rural communities are most affected
Causes of pneumonia
• When germs reach the lungs, the alveoli become
inflamed and fill up with fluid
• Caused by 30 different factors:
• Bacteria
• Viruses
• Infections (e.g Fungi)
• There are 3 forms of pneumonia:
• Bacterial
• Viral
• Mycoplasmas
Bacterial Pneumonia
• It can affect all people of all ages.
• The most vulnerable are alcoholics, weakened individuals, people after
operation, and people with respiratory diseases and viral infections.
• Types of bacterial pneumonia:
• Streptococcus pneumonia, Pneumococcus Bacterium
• The bacteria multiplies and invades the lungs and causes the alveoli to
become inflamed.
• Liquids begins to build up in the tissues of the lobe section. The infection then
spreads through the body by the bloodstream
Symptoms of Bacterial Pneumonia
• Fever, chills, chattering teeth
• Body’s temp. may rise to 40.5 C
• Acute chest pains and coughing that produces greenish/ rust
mucus
• Sweating, accelerated respiration and pulse
• Lips and nail beds may turn to a bluish color due to the lack of
oxygen
• Confusion or even delirium
Viral Pneumonia
• Half of all pneumonia cases are due to viruses
• Viral pneumonia caused by the influenza virus
• There are no physical signs of lung tissues filled with fluid.
• Cause respiratory infections that mainly affect the upper respiratory tract
• Victims of this form of pneumonia are mostly pregnant woman or individuals with
cardiovascular conditions and diseases
• Symptoms:
• Fever, dry coughs, headaches
• Muscle pains and weakness
Mycoplasma Pneumonia
• Also known as “Primary Stypical Pneumonia”
• Caused by mircoorganisms that are smaller than the bacteria and viruses discovered
and identified in WW2
• This mild and widespread form of pneumonia occurs in older children and adolescents
• Symptoms:
• Severe cough attacks
• Chills and fever that could lead to nausea and vomiting
• Reduced heart rate
Technologies/ methods to diagnose
• Patient’s medical history
• Chest X-Ray
• Blood test
• Physical examination
Treatments available
• Non- Medical
• It can be treated at home with remedies
• Pleurisy Root
• Garlic
• Altering your diet
Medical
• Antibiotics (treated for bacterial)
• Medicines that ease chest pain and relieve violent
coughing
• Antiviral drugs to treat viral pneumonia
• Types of antibiotics:
• Penicillin and macrolide
Treatments available (Continued)
o Side effects of treatments:
o Can have an allergic
reactions from antibiotics
o Infection, stomach
problems, and/or vaginal
infections
o Person does not have to go to hospital
unless :
o Older than 65
o Health problems
o Chest pain
o Not able to eat or keep food down,
so you need to take fluids
o Infants younger than 2 months
Is pneumonia curable?
o Yes, it can be cured. It is an infection that can be treated with antibiotics and
medications.
o In most cases, it can be treated at home
Outcome after treatment
o Person recovering from mycoplasma pneumonia may be weak for a period of time
o For middle-aged people, may be weeks before they regain their usual strength
o Viral Pneumonia improves in 1-3 weeks
Lifestyle Changes
• Stop smoking. it is also known as a lung irritant. It will be difficult to get oxygen
in system
• Limit alcohol intake. It can lower you immune resistance and it will be difficult
to recover.
• Take daily dose of prescriptions. If stopped early, lungs may continue to harbor
bacteria and causes pneumonia to reoccur
Risk Factors
• Cigarette smoking
• Infection
• Difficulty swallowing
• Chronic lung disease such as Cystic Fibrosis
• Other serious illness such as heart disease and diabetes
• Recent surgery/ Trauma
• Weak immune system
Sleeping in Dentures doubles the Risk
of Pneumonia in Elderly
• Poor oral health and hygiene are recognized as a major risk
factors for pneumonia among the elderly
• 524 seniors were randomly selected. Amon the 453 denture
wearers, 186 who wore dentures were at a higher risk of
pneumonia
• Wearing dentures at night leads to swallowing difficulties and a
higher risk of the incidence of pneumonia which was
comparable to cognitive impairment, history of stroke and
respiratory disease
• They were also likely to have tongue and denture plague and
gum inflammation
Refrences
• 11 Home Remedies for Pneumonia - www.naturalalternativeremedy.com Managed
WordPress Site. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.naturalalternativeremedy.com/11-homeremedies-for-pneumonia/
• Lifestyle Changes to Manage Pneumonia | Lifescript.com. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.lifescript.com/health/centers/heart_health/articles/lifestyle_changes_to_manage
_pneumonia.aspx
• Symptoms, Diagnosis and Treatment - American Lung Association. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.lung.org/lung-disease/pneumonia/symptoms-diagnosis-and.html
• Understanding Pneumonia - American Lung Association. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.lung.org/lung-disease/pneumonia/understanding-pneumonia.html
• WebMD - Better information. Better health. (n.d.). Retrieved from
http://www.webmd.com/default.htm
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