⭐️Pneumonia Flashcards
What is it
Infection of the lung parenchyma causing inflammation and alveolar filling with fluid or pus.
Clinical Features
Fever & chills 🌡️
Productive cough (yellow/green/rusty sputum)
Dyspnea (shortness of breath) 😮💨
Pleuritic chest pain (worse with deep breathing)
Tachypnea (rapid breathing)
Crackles/rales on auscultation
Hypoxia (low oxygen levels)
Epidemiology
Leading cause of infectious death worldwide
Higher incidence in winter months ❄️
Common in hospitalized & immunocompromised patients
Bacterial pneumonia most common (e.g., Streptococcus pneumoniae)
Age Groups Affected
Infants & elderly at highest risk
Young adults: Often viral causes (e.g., influenza, Mycoplasma)
Older adults: Higher risk of bacterial pneumonia
Risk Factors
✅ Modifiable:
• Smoking 🚬
• Alcohol abuse 🍷
• Poor oral hygiene 🦷
• Chronic lung disease (COPD, asthma) 🫁
• Immunosuppression (HIV, chemotherapy, diabetes)
• Malnutrition
🚫 Non-Modifiable:
• Age (>65 years, <2 years)
• Chronic illnesses (heart failure, CKD)
• Hospitalization (risk of ventilator-associated pneumonia)
Clinical Presentation
🔹 Community-Acquired Pneumonia (CAP): Sudden onset, fever, productive cough, pleuritic chest pain
🔹 Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia (HAP): More severe, occurs after 48 hours in hospital
🔹 Atypical Pneumonia: Gradual onset, dry cough, myalgias, mild fever (caused by Mycoplasma, Chlamydia, Legionella)
🔹 Aspiration Pneumonia: Affects patients with swallowing issues (e.g., stroke)
Prognosis
🔹 Good with early antibiotics (CAP mortality <5%)
🔹 Severe cases → ICU admission (sepsis, ARDS, respiratory failure)
🔹 Higher risk of complications: Pleural effusion, lung abscess, empyema
🔹 Prevention: Vaccination (Pneumococcal, Flu), smoking cessation, hand hygiene
