The first signs of pneumonia in an adult

Symptoms of pneumonia in adults

Pneumonia is an infectious disease. It remains one of the most common in the world. It is the leader among nosocomial infections leading to death. It is important to know the symptoms of pneumonia in adults in order to take timely action. Treatment of pneumonia and the prognosis of the development of the disease depends on the nature of the infection, age and general condition of the patient.

What is pneumonia and how dangerous it is

Inflammation of the lungs in an acute form is called pneumonia. It is caused by infections that can be transmitted in various ways, affecting the lung tissue. In the list of diseases that caused death, she is in fifth place, and medicine does not always help. Lethal outcome among adults from pneumonia is 10-33%. Intrahospital and atypical form of the disease takes even more lives - the risk of dying increases to 50%. In elderly people, people with weakened immunity, the prognosis of pneumonia is often disappointing.

From usual pneumonia, 1-3% of young patients who do not have diseases that die, can die. Among elderly patients, the mortality rate is up to 40-50%. Causes of death from pneumonia:

• Concomitant diseases, such as cardiac pathologies, existing respiratory diseases (such as bronchitis), diabetes mellitus, problems in the genitourinary system;
• bad habits (smoking, especially lengthy experience, drug addiction, alcoholism);
• dysfunctional living conditions;
• weakened immunity.

A special risk of inflammation of the lungs is for pregnant women. The disease itself is heavy due to dangerous pathologies. For a woman who carries a child, she is doubly dangerous - for the future mother and fetus. In early terms, pneumonia is threatened by an embryo, the tissues and organs of which are not yet formed. In the last trimester for a child, pneumonia is less dangerous than for a mother. Prevention is simple: strengthening the immune system of the mother.

The first signs of pneumonia

Symptoms of pneumonia in adults depend on the type of infection that caused the disease. There are several types of pneumonia, and each has its own clinical picture. The provoking factor for the onset of pneumonia is hypothermia affecting the upper respiratory tract. In the elderly, it often goes into a pathological form. Symptoms of pneumonia in adults are several: they are divided into varieties of insidious disease. The common form of pneumonia is viral, occurs in half the cases. Other reasons:

• bacteria;
• mycoplasma;
• fungus;
• parasites;
• chlamydia;
• streptococcus.

Atypical

A disease that occurs without symptoms characteristic of pneumonia is called atypical. The latent inflammation of the lungs is dangerous because it is delayed for its treatment, when many complications appear. Pulmonary manifestations fade into the background, the patient is more concerned about general intoxication. The X-ray does not show changes in the airway. Signs of atypical inflammation:

• dry cough;
• sore throat;
• muscle pain;
• headache;
• weakness.

Aseptic atypical pneumonia is caused by Legionella, viruses, chlamydia, mycoplasmas, therefore, it is treated with antimicrobials. After infection, the symptoms of the disease manifest themselves in a period of 2 to 10 days. Changes in the lungs begin later than with a typical pneumonia. The temperature rises, the patient starts to suffocate, he does not have enough air. A large percentage of patients can be cured at home, but sometimes the ailment is difficult. The mortality from this type of disease is 3-5%, the cause is cardiopulmonary insufficiency.

Viral

This type of disease is caused by several viruses. In the first place - the flu. At the onset of pneumonia, triggered by the influenza virus, malaise is noticeable during 3-5 days. Then the condition worsens, shortness of breath starts, chest pains appear. Pneumonia is treated with rimantadine, zanamivir, oseltamivir. Viral pneumonia is caused by cytomegalovirus.

Serious complication of viral pneumonia is SARS, respiratory syndrome. It is caused by the viruses of Paramyxoviridae (they are also the cause of measles and mumps). The syndrome poses a great danger. Symptoms of pneumonia in adults with viral pneumonia are:

• very high temperature accompanied by chills;
• dry cough (unproductive);
• headache and muscle pain;
• fatigue without reason.

Bacterial

The cause of pneumonia in this case are bacteria: pneumococcus, staphylococcus, streptococcus. Bacterial pneumonia begins with a sharp temperature jump to a mark of 41 degrees. It lasts up to 3 days, and this symptom is considered a clear sign of bacterial infection. If the temperature then falls, then rises - this is a viral picture. Pneumococcal pneumonia is accompanied by the escape of "rusty" sputum, cardiac contractions become more frequent (tachycardia), breathing becomes more difficult. Treat the disease with antibiotics.

Grybkovoy

The most dangerous variant of pulmonary inflammation is fungal infection. It is due to the fact that fungal pneumonia is not manifested at first, and people do not know that they are sick. The disease is diagnosed late. The onset of the process of inflammation of the lung tissue is like atypical pneumonia, but with the exacerbation of symptoms, the nature of lung damage changes, cavities are formed. A frequent causative agent of such pneumonia is Candida albicans, a fungus. Initially, the patient has catarrhal symptoms: fever, cough, fatigue and shortness of breath. Then, when pussy is pus, then the correct diagnosis is made.

The main symptoms of pneumonia in an adult

The cold, the flu, should not last more than 7 days, if in 4-7 days after the onset of an acute respiratory infection the condition of the patient worsened, this signal starts in the lower respiratory tract of a dangerous inflammation. Symptoms of pneumonia in adults include pallor and dyspnea. If they have a cold, they are accompanied by weakness, sweating, decreased appetite - this is typical for intoxication in the beginning of pneumonia.

Temperature with pneumonia

With atypical pneumonia, body temperature is not always greater than 3,. In the usual cases, a sharp increase to 40 degrees is typical. With pneumonia, antipyretic drugs do not work. If you can not bring down the temperature - it's a sign of pneumonia. The temperature begins to drop when antibiotics work. It is dangerous if the disease runs without temperature: the patients sometimes do not take measures until the condition worsens. How much the temperature lasts depends on the pathogen: a fungus, a bacterium or a virus.

What a cough with pneumonia

At the beginning of the disease, a cough is dry, this is called unproductive. He becomes obtrusive, constant, exhausting. Inflammation develops - this symptom also changes. The sputum departs, the color of which depends on the nature of the infection: yellow-green, purulent, "rusty." Nasal cough, which does not pass for 7-10 days, is a clear sign of the inflammatory process in the lungs.

Voice tremor

The doctor can recognize the symptoms of the disease, assessing the patient's jittery response. The patient says words where there are several "p" sounds, and the doctor puts his hands on his chest, and determines the voice trembling. With pneumonia, part of the lung, or it is whole, becomes denser. This will be noticed by the medical doctor who conducts the diagnostics, by the fact that the voice tremor is amplified.

Diagnosis of the disease

If there is a suspicion of an inflammatory process in the lungs, a comprehensive diagnosis is performed. Sometimes already at the primary admission the doctor can determine the disease by conducting an auscultation, that is, having listened to the chest with a phonendoscope. But the main method of diagnosis in an adult is an X-ray. Necessarily the patient will take blood for general and biochemical analysis. If the patient is in the hospital, examine the culture of sputum, urine, check blood for antibodies to viruses.

Types of pneumonia

The mild forms of pneumonia, found in the initial stage, are treated at home. Remember that even mild pneumonia will complicate with improper care. It is necessary to adhere to the doctor's recommendations how to treat pneumonia in the home:

• antipyretic drugs, anti-inflammatory;
• an abundant drink is prescribed;
• an important component of the treatment is a diet: the body is poisoned by toxins, light foods, more fluids are required.

How to treat pneumonia, how long the process will last depends on the severity and variety of the disease. Infection is sometimes found in the lung tissue for years, leading to a chronic illness. Fibers and connective tissues are damaged, they press on the pulmonary vesicles, which leads to hardening of the lungs, pneumosclerosis. The patient feels discomfort, constantly coughs. It is a slow, prolonged illness, which gradually leads to complications.

Conventional pneumonia is divided into mild, moderate, severe and extremely severe in severity, it depends on how the disease proceeds. Severe acute forms include pleuropneumonia, when one or more of the lungs are inflamed. There is pneumonia in the localization:

• Focal (concentrated in the focus of inflammation);
• segmental or polysegmentary, depending on whether one or more segments are located;
• share - does not exceed one share;
• total - covers all the lungs.

One-sided and two-sided

The inflammatory process is concentrated either on one side or it is bilateral. Unilateral pneumonia is divided into two types:

1. Right-sided - occurs more often, the right bronchus is wider than the left and shorter than it, the infection penetrates there freer.
2. Left-sided - develops less often, with it there are stagnant processes in the lung.

Two-sided covers both lungs: all lung tissue becomes inflamed, and the disease is provoked by bacteria (pneumococcus, hemophilic rod). Against the background of one infection, other harmful microorganisms are multiplied, mixed-infection develops. In the fight against a person enter several pathogens, to select antibacterial drugs for treatment is difficult.

Basal

The focus of inflammation, located along the root of the lung, is difficult to diagnose. Such cases are called basal pneumonia. In the diagnosis of computed tomography. The doctor should exclude tuberculosis and lung cancer, the focus of inflammation is similar to a picture on a tumor. Tuberculin tests are carried out. If you mistakenly prescribe drugs against tuberculosis, but they do not give an effect - this is considered a diagnostic sign.

Bronchopneumonia

Bronchial pneumonia characterizes the lesion of small branches of the bronchial tree of the patient. Bronchopneumonia refers to focal. The process of recovery will take a long time. Sometimes the disease is secondary, develops against the background of bronchitis. A person tries to cure bronchitis, that is prolonged, the condition worsens, weakness appears, temperature jumps. The cough that accompanies bronchitis intensifies, unpleasant purulent sputum is separated, at times - with veins of blood.

Important symptoms of this disease: shortness of breath, increased heart rate to 110 strokes for a minute, chest pain. To the development of bronchopneumonia leads not only bronchitis, but also ARVI. Often this type of pneumonia and viruses cause this kind of pneumonia, in order to treat the disease correctly, establish a pathogen, prescribe antiviral drugs or antibacterial. How much the disease is treated depends on the type of pathogen.

Hospital

In addition to community-acquired pneumonia, which develops under normal conditions, there is a serious form of illness - hospital, it is also hospital-acquired. The diagnosis is made when the inflammation appears after two days and more after placing a person in a hospital clinic with a completely different diagnosis. This is the most ruthless species, killing 50% of patients. The disease is caused by microorganisms. Types of nosocomial pneumonia:

• associated with artificial ventilation;
• postoperative;
• Hospital-acquired pneumonia in hospitalized in serious condition.

Immunity of patients is weakened, the body struggled with another disease, was not ready to invade new microbes. To save the situation, patients are placed with droppers, use intravenous nutrition to maintain the vital forces of the body, use drugs of a new generation, potent drugs. Cure nosocomial pneumonia can not always. Treatment of pneumonia in this case is excluded.

The equity

Fracture pneumonia affects the lobe of the lung and the pleura. With this type of pneumonia, it is important to schedule injections of antibiotics, the duration of which is determined by the doctor. Applied physiotherapy, detoxification. Partial pneumonia begins suddenly and sharply. There are three forms of the disease:

• Upper-lobar - it is difficult, with neurological disorders;
• lower-lobed - gives a pseudo-picture of the "acute abdomen which confuses during diagnosis, chills and "rusty" sputum are characteristic;
• central - inflammation develops deep in the lung, symptomatology is poorly defined, difficult to define.

Croupous

Croupous pneumonia proceeds acutely. The nature of the defeat of the lungs is bilateral. If the pathology is not recognized and the treatment is not started quickly, the patient will die from cerebral hypoxia and cardiovascular insufficiency. The first day the patient has a dry cough. The next day, sputum is rusty, vomiting occurs. On the third day, it becomes worse, dyspnea appears, tachycardia develops. The patient is not able to climb to one floor. Treat croupous pneumonia in pulmonology, in a hospital or resuscitation. Pulmonary lobes of the patient are totally affected on both sides.

Video: types and symptoms of pneumonia

Pneumonia is a dangerous disease, it is important to determine it in the early stages, when the treatment is effective even with folk remedies at home. In the video offered below, experts will tell in detail about the symptoms of pneumonia, teach what to look for if pneumonia occurs without the typical symptoms. Timely detection will avoid irreversible consequences.

sovets.net

Symptoms and signs of pneumonia in adults

Is pneumonia dangerous for adults?

Pneumonia is an acute infectious disease that occurs with inflammation of the lung tissue. Inflammation of the lungs remains one of the leading causes of death from respiratory diseases, despite a giant leap in the development of medicine. Symptoms of pneumonia in adults, children and the elderly, as before, make doctors worry about the fate of patients.

In 2006, 591493 cases of pneumonia were detected in Russia, which amounted to 4 ‰ among adults & 8 years. But these figures from official reports do not fully reflect the true picture. The calculations of scientists show that the real incidence of pneumonia in Russia reaches 15 ‰. The absolute number of cases of pneumonia is 1500000 people every year. According to statistics in 2006, pneumonia and its complications claimed the lives of 3, 70 Russian adults.

If elderly patients & g; 0 years there is a chronic concomitant pathology (chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, cancer; alcoholism; diseases of the liver, kidneys, heart and blood vessels; diabetes), then with severe pneumonia, mortality increases to 30%. The highest mortality from pneumonia in Russia is registered in adult men of working age. Typical for Russians, the risk factor for the fatal outcome of pneumonia is later seeking medical help.

Signs that increase the risk of death from pneumonia in adults:

• Male.
• Severe hypothermia before the disease.
• Dyspnea with respiratory rate & g; 8 in 1 min.
• Violation of the mental state of the patient.
• Concomitant diseases - chronic heart failure, decreased immunity, diabetes, atherosclerosis of the heart vessels, oncological processes, chronic renal failure.
• Low blood pressure
• Low body temperature

If patients who died of pneumonia knew the first signs of a dangerous illness and turned to the doctor on time, their lives could be saved.

The first signs and symptoms, indicating an inflammation of the lungs:

• Suddenness of onset of the disease;
• fever (a sharp increase in body temperature & 8 ° C);
• chills (muscle trembling);
• chest pain when coughing and deep breathing;
• dry or unproductive cough with sputum rusty;
• shortness of breath - a feeling of lack of air;
• general weakness and fatigue;
• heavy sweats at night and at the slightest load.

These signs in a person who has fallen ill with a "cold" should alert his relatives, as he is quite likely to diagnose pneumonia. If you suspect an inflammation of the lungs, consult a doctor.

Objective signs of the disease

The doctor, examining the patient, reveals the objective symptoms of pneumonia:

• Dullness of sound when tapping over the affected places of the lungs;
• hard breathing over the inflamed part of the lung tissue;
• listening to wheezing over the site of inflammation.

The main rule that confirms pneumonia is the asymmetry of objective findings, that is, the presence of pneumonia symptoms in only one lung. After the examination, the doctor will prescribe an X-ray of the chest.

X-ray symptoms of pneumonia

The main radiographic evidence of pneumonia is local dimming of the lung in a patient who has symptoms of inflammation of the lower respiratory tract.

X-rays for suspected pneumonia are performed by all patients: children and adults. This mandatory rule is associated with the risk of complications of pneumonia with a delay in the appointment of antibiotics. The consequences of procrastination can be fatal.

Treatment of inflammation of the lungs

The main component of treatment, determining the prognosis, is the correct choice of antimicrobial agent - antibiotic. Treatment of mild cases of inflammation of the lungs in adults can be carried out at home. In addition to antimicrobial drugs, the patient needs a bed rest for the time of fever, abundant warm drink and adequate nutrition. If the patient coughs up phlegm, then cough can be alleviated with the help of expectorants and compresses on the chest.

Diet for a patient with pneumonia is in frequent fractional nutrition, the food should be easily assimilated and fully-fledged in composition.

In case of a serious condition, the patient is treated in a hospital (hospital).

After recovering from pneumonia, the patient is observed at the clinic therapist for 1 year.

Prevention of disease

To prevent the disease will help vaccinate against pneumococcus - the main culprit of the disease. If the vaccine is contraindicated to a patient at risk, you can use drugs such as "vaccine-tablets." Such drugs contain surface proteins of microbial pathogens that enhance immunity. The action of such immunomodulators is regarded as "grafting only without injection. For a competent choice of treatment and prevention of pneumonia, a doctor's consultation is necessary.

ingalin.ru

Signs of pneumonia in an adult

Inflammation of the lungs, which in medicine is called pneumonia, is almost always an infectious disease that affects lung tissue. Manifestations of the disease are similar to those of many infections, but they have some typical features. The earlier the primary symptoms of pneumonia are detected, the faster it will be possible to place an accurate diagnosis, and then begin treatment. How to identify inflammation of the lungs at home and thereby timely identify a dangerous disease?

The first signs of pneumonia

Specialists can not say with accuracy which symptoms associated with pneumonia can be attributed to strictly specific ones. The initial manifestations of the disease are similar to other inflammatory pathologies of the respiratory tract, and signs of inflammation of the lungs in an adult strongly depend on age, immunity and type pneumonia. Symptoms of acute, chronic, aspiration, bilateral or focal lung inflammation vary greatly. However, it is possible to suspect the development of the disease by the characteristic features of its usual manifestations:

• Cough, chest pain. At the very beginning of the disease, a dry obsessive cough is observed, but sometimes it can be rare and mild. As the inflammatory process develops, the cough becomes moist, with a mucous sputum of yellow-green or "rusty" color. During coughing attacks and with deep breaths, the patient has a stabbing pain in the chest, later back pain may be added to her.
• Shortness of breath, lack of air. With pneumonia, bacterial microorganisms disrupt the work of the alveoli - the branching of the lung tissue. They cease to participate in the process of breathing, and this leads to a lack of oxygen. The patient's breathing becomes shallow, superficial and rapid, he has shortness of breath.
• Heat. In ordinary cases, in the early stages of pneumonia, the temperature jumps dramatically to 38-39 ° C. Before this, the patient often has a prolonged chill. When primary diagnosis of the disease, this sign of inflammation of the lung in an adult is given special attention. With a pulmonary infection, the temperature constantly rises, then falls, then rises to the previous high value.
• Pronounced weakness, rapid fatigue. Infectious pathogens that have affected the lungs secrete toxins that poison the body and cause a state of general weakness. It is supplemented by dizziness, headache, confusion, loss of appetite, sleep disturbances. If intoxication continues to develop, the patient has additional disorders: gastrointestinal disorders, tachycardia, joint and bone pain.

Symptoms of pneumonia without fever and cough

Knowledge of how pneumonia manifests itself in adults will help to detect the disease at the mildest stage of development. However, the clinical picture of pneumonia can be atypical. Certain forms of the disease have a mild course and develop without symptoms such as cough and temperature, which greatly complicates the diagnosis.

With the latent nature of pneumonia, the patient often has subfebrile fever, in which the level temperature for a long time is maintained within 37-3, ° C, but sometimes there are no temperature changes at all. However, even with a slow flow of the disease can not develop completely asymptomatic. Symptoms of pneumonia in adults without fever and cough are manifested as:

• white coating on the tongue, dry mouth;
• heart palpitations;
• a painful complexion, a one-sided blush on the cheek (appears on the side covered by the inflammatory process);
• increased sweating;
• weakness, lethargy.

Diagnostic Methods

At the initial examination the doctor conducts a questioning of the patient to obtain information about the possible causes of the disease. The specialist then analyzes the existing symptoms, revealing specific signs of pneumonia in an adult: examining the chest and listening to the lungs. Even with obvious symptoms of pneumonia, the specialist may need additional diagnostic data:

• analysis of blood and urine;
• sputum analysis, which allows to determine the sensitivity of the causative agent of pneumonia to antibiotics;
• X-ray of the chest - with pneumonia, the photo shows characteristic darkening;
• pulse oximetry, helping to assess the degree of respiratory failure;
• bronchoscopy - examination of the bronchi with the help of special equipment;
• computed tomography of the lungs.

For the treatment of pneumonia, the patient can be prescribed antibacterial agents (more often pills, but in severe cases - injections), antitussives, detoxification, antipyretic, immunostimulating therapy, physiotherapeutic procedures. To prevent possible complications, the doctor can prescribe a special diet or diet.

Danger of disease

The consequences of pneumonia in adults, arising from untimely or inadequate treatment, can be most unpredictable. Common pulmonary complications of the disease - acute respiratory failure, pulmonary edema, abscess (purulent inflammation) or gangrene of the lung, empyema of the pleura and pleurisy (inflammation of the membranes covering lungs).

In addition, pneumonia can cause the development of meningitis, severe cardiac pathologies (pericarditis, myocarditis, endocarditis), infectious-toxic shock and sepsis (blood poisoning). The risk of these dangerous complications increases significantly with neglected forms of inflammation lungs, whose treatment was started too late, and in conditions of improperly conducted therapy.

Pneumonia in women has a lighter flow pattern. Experts have revealed that in men the risk of developing severe complications of the disease is much higher. Studies show that the probability of a fatal outcome is more than about 30%. Scientists suggest that this is due to the characteristics of the female immune system, which is more actively protected from bacteria.

Video: How to recognize pneumonia in an adult

From the offered video materials you can learn about what signs of the development of pneumonia in the adult appear the very first. Experts in the field of pulmonology and physiotherapy tell how pneumonia is diagnosed, what medicines and funds are used to treat it, what kind of complications can develop in a patient in severe cases.

sovets.net

Signs of bacterial pneumonia in an adult

• Bacterial pneumonia
• Viral pneumonia

The disease of pneumonia or pneumonia is usually caused by bacteria, viruses, fungi or other organisms.

This inflammation causes fluid to flow into the infected part of the lungs, affecting one or both of the lungs.

Inflow of blood to the infected part of the lung (or lungs) decreases, which means that the oxygen level in the blood can decrease.

This decline is likely to occur in the elderly or malnourished people. During illness, the body tries to maintain blood flow to vital organs and reduce blood flow to other parts of the body, such as the gastrointestinal tract.

Causes of pneumonia in adults:

1. Bacterial pneumonia: this type of pneumonia usually begins after a flu, cold, or upper respiratory tract infection. Decreased immunity allows bacteria to multiply in the lungs, causing disease. There are many different bacteria that can cause inflammation of the lung tissue. The most common pathogen is pneumococcus. Microorganisms can spread when an infected person coughs or sneezes or touches objects with unwashed hands. Bacterial pneumonia can be a more serious disease than viral pneumonia.
2. Viral pneumonia. A variety of different viruses can cause viral pneumonia. Among them: influenza, chicken pox and respiratory syncytial virus. Viruses can be transmitted between people through coughing, sneezing or touching something that has been in contact with the liquid of the infected person.
3. Fungal pneumonia. It is most often caused by fungi from the environment.
4. Pneumonia of mycoplasma. Mycoplasma organisms invisible to the eye easily spread, especially in places of large concentrations of people (such as offices or schools). This type of pneumonia, as a rule, quickly passes.
5. Pneumocystis pneumonia. Caused by a yeast-like fungus, which is usually found in the lungs, without creating problems for the "master but can grow and lead to pneumonia in people whose immune system is weak (eg, due to AIDS, organ transplant, cancer, or chemotherapy).
6. Aspiration pneumonia. Occurs when the contents of the oral cavity and the nasopharynx are inhaled into the respiratory tract.
7. Legionnaires' disease. It is caused by a bacterium legionella, which lives in water. Disease Legionnaires can spread through contaminated plumbing, shower or air conditioning.

Signs of pneumonia in an adult with bacterial pneumonia

Doctors often divide bacterial pneumonia into a typical and atypical, based on the signs and symptoms of the disease.

A typical pneumonia occurs very quickly.

• Typical pneumonia usually leads to severe fever and chills.
• At the patient at cough sputum of yellow or brown color is allocated.
• There can be a pain in the chest, which, as a rule, increases with deep breathing or coughing. The chest can hurt when it is touched or pressed. Chest pain can be a sign of other serious illnesses, so do not try to diagnose inflammation of your lungs yourself.
• A typical pneumonia can cause dyspnea, especially if a person has any chronic lung disease, such as asthma or emphysema.
• Elderly people may suffer from confusion or mental impairment during pneumonia or other infections.

Atypical pneumonia begins gradually.

• Sometimes another illness begins several days or weeks before pneumonia.
• Fever is usually weak, and chills are less likely than in the case of typical pneumonia.
• The patient can complain to the doctor about a headache, body aches, and joint pain.
• Cough can be dry or with it a small amount of sputum is released.v
• Chest pain is often absent.
• There may be abdominal pain.
• There is a feeling of fatigue or weakness.

Bacterial pneumonia, like the virus, is contagious.

When to seek medical help?

• If the patient has a fever and cough with yellow, green or brown sputum, he should visit a doctor.

When to call an ambulance for pneumonia?

• If the patient has shortness of breath. This sign of lung inflammation in an adult as a breathlessness is not just a feeling that a person can not take a full breath. Shortness of breath means that the patient can not dial into the lungs enough air to meet the needs of the body. This is a potentially serious symptom and he always requires a visit to the emergency room.
• If the temperature rises above 39 ° C or falls below 35 ° C.
• If the pulse is equal to or greater than 125 beats per minute at rest.
• If the respiratory rate is more than 30 breaths per minute at rest.
• If a systolic blood pressure drop below 90 mm Hg occurred, resulting in dizziness, blockage, or fainting.
• If there is pain in the chest or confusion.

Risk factors for the development of pneumonia:

• a chronic health problem, such as diabetes;
• smoking;
• alcoholism or drug addiction;
• cardiac ischemia;
• a weak immune system, for example, due to the use of steroids or the use of drugs to suppress immunity (people with transplanted organs take such drugs);
• sick or damaged lungs due to asthma or emphysema;
• very young or very old age (over 65 years);
• life in a nursing home;
• problems with vomiting reflex (frequent suffocation or difficulty swallowing);
• a surgery to remove the spleen.

Complications that may occur from pneumonia include:

• Bacteremia: the infection penetrates into the bloodstream and can spread to various organs.
• Pleurisy and empyema: with pleurisy occurs an inflammation of the membrane, which covers the lungs (pleura). The empyema occurs when the fluid in the lungs that causes inflammation becomes infected.
• Lung abscess: cavities (or one cavity) filled with pus may appear in the infected area of ​​the lungs.
• Acute respiratory distress syndrome: when the lungs are severely damaged due to pneumonia, respiratory arrest may occur.

The first signs of viral pneumonia in adults: how to recognize viral inflammation

Viral pneumonia usually occurs in young children and the elderly. This is because the body of a young or elderly person is harder to fight the virus than an adult human body with a strong immune system.

In healthy adults, pneumonia usually proceeds easily. In contrast, elderly people and those with weakened immunity often develop severe viral pneumonia. Patients aged 65 years and over are at risk of dying from viral pneumonia, as well as from influenza not complicated by pneumonia.

Viral pneumonia is most often caused by one of several viruses:

• Adenovirus.
• Flu.
• Paragrippus. Parainfluenza virus is the second most important cause of lower respiratory tract disease in children and pneumonia and bronchitis in children under 6 months of age.
• Respiratory syncytial virus. This is the most common cause of lower respiratory infection in infants and children, and the second most common viral cause of pneumonia in adults. The first is influenza viruses.

Swine influenza (H1N1) was associated with an outbreak of pneumonia in 2009. The first reports came from Mexico, where there was a very high mortality from this disease. Many cases were also recorded in the US Nevertheless, early detection and treatment helped to significantly reduce the death rate from viral pneumonia.

Serious viral pneumonia is most likely to occur in:

• Premature babies.
• Children with heart and lung diseases.
• People infected with HIV.
• People undergoing cancer chemotherapy, or taking drugs that weaken the immune system.
• People who underwent organ transplantation.

The first signs of pneumonia in adults with viral infection

Symptoms and signs of viral pneumonia often develop slowly and at first seem harmless, whereas when Bacterial pneumonia develops very quickly and patients seek medical attention within a few days.

The most common signs are:

• Subfebrile temperature (less than 38.8 ° C).
• Cough with a little mucus.
• Fatigue.
• Muscle pain.
• Headache.
• Blue nails (due to lack of oxygen in the blood).
• Nausea and vomiting.

During a physical examination, the following signs of pneumonia can be observed in a patient:

• Tachypnea (rapid breathing).
• Tachycardia or bradycardia.
• The wheezing in the lungs.
• Dyspnea.
• Breast or intercostal retraction (internal muscle movements between the ribs).
• Decreased breathing sounds.
• Pleurisy.
• Cyanosis (blue skin).
• Rashes on the skin.
• Acute respiratory distress (a dangerous violation of pulmonary function, respiratory failure).

When to seek medical help?

You should see your doctor if any of the following symptoms appear:

• Persistent cough.
• Dyspnoea in motion, or at rest.
• Severe chest pain.
• Severe weakness.
• Coughing with blood.
• Vomiting is so strong or frequent that dehydration has occurred.
• Impossibility to eat and drink fluids.

How to recognize pneumonia in adults

Physical examination is necessary for the diagnosis of pneumonia. It can also help to determine how serious the disease is, and what can be its cause.

The doctor will listen to the heart, lungs and chest of the patient through a stethoscope.

It will also consider vital signs such as body temperature, heart rate, blood pressure and respiratory rate.

Information collected during a physical examination can help a doctor determine if pneumonia is mild or severe.

• A chest X-ray may be necessary to confirm the diagnosis of "pneumonia". Many people with mild pneumonia symptoms are prescribed effective treatment without radiography. Nevertheless, patients with moderate and severe pneumonia often receive a chest x-ray to determine the extent of the disease and identify complications of the disease, such as pus in the lungs.
• Laboratory tests are sometimes required to diagnose pneumonia. Laboratory tests can help a doctor find out what caused pneumonia and how the patient's body tolerates the disease.
• The most common laboratory tests include: measuring the number and type of white blood cells in the blood, and using a sputum sample to help identify possible pathogens of the infection. People with difficulty breathing can undergo pulse oximetry (a test that allows you to assess the oxygen saturation and heart rate).

The patient should inform the doctor about any illnesses that he has, including abnormal vomiting reflex, alcohol or intravenous drug use, smoking and recent hospital. You also need to tell the doctor about a recent episode of a viral infection or flu-like symptoms.

What should I do with the first signs of pneumonia in adults?

• Do not smoke and do not allow others to smoke near the patient. Nicotine and other chemicals in cigarettes and cigars can lead to lung damage. Talk with your doctor before using electronic cigarettes and other drugs to help stop smoking.
• Have more rest.
• Use a household air humidifier. The patient is able to clear more sputum, if breathing with moist air.
• Drink fluids to help prevent dehydration when vomiting. In addition, the liquid helps to thinning the mucus, so it leaves the body more easily.
• Deep breathing and coughing. Deep breathing helps open the airways to the lungs. Cough helps to "drive out" mucus from the lungs. You need to take a deep breath and hold your breath for as long as you can. Then exhale the air and cough hard. Do 10 deep breaths in a row every hour from the moment you wake up.

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gajmorit.com

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