Aspiration Pneumonia Research Paper

Aspiration pneumonia is an inflammation of your lungs and the bronchial tubes after you inhale oral or gastric content. Inhaling materials like vomit, food, or liquids can cause bacteria to grow inside your lungs that can turn into pneumonia. The anatomy of the lungs is meant for gas exchange, so when liquid or other materials enter the lungs this can prevent the lungs from doing their job. Aspiration pneumonia is more common in people with impaired gag reflexes. Individuals that are more likely to develop this type of pneumonia are elderly people with a history of lung disease. Other situations that can develop aspiration pneumonia are patients that have had histories of strokes, seizures, brain injuries, myasthenia gravis, Parkinson disease, gastroesophageal reflux disease, multiply
Shortness of breath, wheezes, crackles, sudden tachypnea, cough, cyanosis, hypoxemia, and purulent sputum are signs of this infection. To more accurately diagnose aspiration pneumonia, a series of test can be performed that include, chest x-ray, sputum culture, complete blood count, arterial blood gases, bronchoscopy, CT scan, and blood cultures. Another test that can be performed to determine if aspiration is a factor would be the swallow test. In this test, a doctor gives you barium to ingest while a chest x-ray is performed. The barium swallow test can highlight abnormalities in the upper gastrointestinal tract, pharynx, esophagus, and stomach. It is usually read by a licensed speech pathologist. The chest x-ray would usually reveal patchy, mottled, segmental consolidation, atelectasis, and abscess inside the lungs in the presence of aspiration pneumonia. After aspiration pneumonia is confirmed aggressive treatment will begin. Treatment includes preventive measures, airway clearance, oxygen therapy, bronchodilators, therapeutic bronchoscopy, invasive ventilator support if severe, antibiotics and