Research Paper On Pneumonia
Introduction
Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs which can develop from bacteria, a virus, or toxins and is the sixth leading cause of death in the states. People who are at a higher risk in contracting the disease are the elderly, those who are hospitalized for other conditions, those with coughs after a stroke, smokers, those who suffer with malnutrition, alcoholics, those who have bronchitis, those with sickle-cell anemia, those undergoing radiation treatments or chemotherapy, and those with AIDS. Pneumonia is a significant sickness that affects one percent of the population each year. The disease is not caused by any one thing, for it has over thirty causes that can be broken down into five major areas of cause; bacteria, viruses, …show more content…
Pneumonia sets in when the infection moves from the upper respiratory tract into the lungs. Most types of viral pneumonia are short lived and are rarely fatal, excluding the influenza virus that can lead to death. Like bacterial pneumonia, the virus sets on and attacks the lung tissue causing the lung to fill with fluid.
Mycoplasma pneumonia is caused by minute particles that are neither bacterial nor viral but act like a combination of both. This type of pneumonia is usually epidemic but not severe, for it is rarely fatal even if left untreated. Fungus is believed to cause Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and is prevalent in AIDS patients. The inhalation of chemicals can cause pneumonia and have serious results.
Community-acquired pneumonia continues to have a significant impact on elderly individuals, who are affected more frequently and with more severe consequences than younger populations. As the population ages it is expected that the medical and economic impact of this disease will increase. Despite these concerns, little progress has been made in research specifically focusing on community-acquired pneumonia in the elderly. Data continue to show that a high index of suspicion, early antimicrobial therapy and appropriate medications to cover typical pathogens are extremely important in treating community-acquired pneumonia in older
Pneumonia is an inflammation of the lungs which can develop from bacteria, a virus, or toxins and is the sixth leading cause of death in the states. People who are at a higher risk in contracting the disease are the elderly, those who are hospitalized for other conditions, those with coughs after a stroke, smokers, those who suffer with malnutrition, alcoholics, those who have bronchitis, those with sickle-cell anemia, those undergoing radiation treatments or chemotherapy, and those with AIDS. Pneumonia is a significant sickness that affects one percent of the population each year. The disease is not caused by any one thing, for it has over thirty causes that can be broken down into five major areas of cause; bacteria, viruses, …show more content…
Pneumonia sets in when the infection moves from the upper respiratory tract into the lungs. Most types of viral pneumonia are short lived and are rarely fatal, excluding the influenza virus that can lead to death. Like bacterial pneumonia, the virus sets on and attacks the lung tissue causing the lung to fill with fluid.
Mycoplasma pneumonia is caused by minute particles that are neither bacterial nor viral but act like a combination of both. This type of pneumonia is usually epidemic but not severe, for it is rarely fatal even if left untreated. Fungus is believed to cause Pneumocystis carinii pneumonia and is prevalent in AIDS patients. The inhalation of chemicals can cause pneumonia and have serious results.
Community-acquired pneumonia continues to have a significant impact on elderly individuals, who are affected more frequently and with more severe consequences than younger populations. As the population ages it is expected that the medical and economic impact of this disease will increase. Despite these concerns, little progress has been made in research specifically focusing on community-acquired pneumonia in the elderly. Data continue to show that a high index of suspicion, early antimicrobial therapy and appropriate medications to cover typical pathogens are extremely important in treating community-acquired pneumonia in older