Pneumonia

Question 1

define pneumonia

Pneumonia

Answer 1

• **Inflammatory condition of the lung tissue caused by infection. **
  o Can be bacterial, viral or fungal.
  o Can affect 1 lobe (lobar), the lung or both lungs (bilateral).

The biggest cause of child mortality worldwide.

Question 2

what is the pathophysiology of pneumonia

Pneumonia

Answer 2

• Infectious agent reaches the alveoli (could be inhaled or enter via the blood)
• Inflammatory response causes vasodilation and vascular permeability
• Fluid shifts into the interstitium (air spaces) or alveoli (this is called consolidation)
• Large-scale mucus production and accumulation of dead immune cells and bacteria cause large volumes of sputum to be produced during resolution.

Question 3

what does pneumonia cause?

Pneumonia

Answer 3

• Causes impaired gas exchange, increased work of breathing, resulting in:
  o dyspnoea, hypoxaemia, malaise (feeling unwell), cough, respiratory failure, sepsis, ARDS (lung inflammation).

Question 4

define hypoxic

Pneumonia

Answer 4

tissues dont recieve oxygen

Question 5

define hypoxemic

Pneumonia

Answer 5

abnormally low oxygen in the blood

Question 6

what are the signs and symptoms of pneumonia?

Pneumonia

Answer 6

• Cough: may be productive or unproductive
• Shortness of breath (SOB)- especially on exertion
• Chest pain (pleuritic)
• Fatigue confusion
• Headache
• Pyrexia: fever
• Crackles on auscultation (fine crackles compared to coarse when hearing sputum)
• Diagnosed through chest x-ray and relevant signs

Question 7

what are the different classifications of pneumonia?

Pneumonia

Answer 7

• Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP)
  o Onset over 48 hrs after admission.
• Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP)
  o Diagnosis of pneumonia before hospital
  o Symptoms within 48 hrs of being in the hospital or prior
• Ventilator-acquired pneumonia (VAP)
  o Onset over 48 hrs after being mechanically ventilated

Question 8

what is a PTs role in Pneumonia treatment?

Pneumonia

Answer 8

• Mobility: sitting out of bed
  o Increase activity each day
• Assess routinely to see if the need to have airway clearance