Pneumonia Flashcards
What is pneumonia?
Inflammation of the lung tissue resulting in sputum filling the airways and alveoli.
What is the main bacterial cause in children?
Streptococcus pneumonia
What is the most common viral cause in children?
Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
What are the other possible bacterial causes of pneumonia?
Haemophilus influenza
Mycobacterium Pneumonia
How does pneumonia present?
- Cough (typically wet and productive)
- High fever (> 38.5ºC)
- Tachypnoea
- Tachycardia
- Increased work of breathing
- Delirium (acute confusion associated with infection)
What are the characteristic chest sounds of pneumonia?
Bronchial breath sounds.
Focal coarse crackles
Dullness to percussion
What are bronchial breath sounds?
Harsh breath sounds that are equally loud on inspiration and expiration. These are caused by consolidation of the lung tissue around the airway.
What are bronchial breath sounds caused by?
Consolidation of the lung tissue around the airway.
What are Focal coarse crackles caused by?
Air passing through sputum similar to using a straw to blow into a drink.
Why is there dullness on percussion?
Lung tissue collapse and/or consolidation.
What investigations can you do for pneumonia?
Chest x-ray
Sputum cultures and throat swabs
Capillary blood gas analysis
What might you see on a chest x-ray of someone with pneumonia?
Consolidation
Why would you send away sputum cultures and throat swabs?
For bacterial cultures and viral PCR can establish the causative organism and guide treatment.
What can capillary blood gas analysis be useful for?
Assessing or monitoring respiratory or metabolic acidosis and the blood lactate level in unwell patients.
What can occur secondary to pneumonia?
Sepsis
