It can be a sign of serious diseases such as pneumonia and lung cancer. The symptoms of this disease, which is seen in 1 or 2 out of 100 people in the world every year, can be confused with the symptoms of flu, upper respiratory tract infection and coronavirus. Let’s get to know pneumonia closely!
WHAT IS PNEUUMARY, IS IT CONTAGIOUS, WHY DOES IT HAPPEN?
Pneumonia, also called pneumonia in the medical literature, is a disease that usually occurs as a result of respiratory system infection and can lead to serious health problems. This disorder tends to be more common in children, elderly individuals over 65 years of age, those with chronic diseases (such as kidney, diabetes, heart or lung disease), smokers, and those with diseases or medications that suppress the immune system.
Pneumonia is a major cause of hospital admissions, treatment costs, lost work and school days, and even deaths worldwide. Although the disease carries the risk of direct transmission from a sick person to healthy individuals in some cases, it usually occurs as a result of microbes reaching the lungs from the mouth, throat or digestive tract. While these microbes normally do not pose a threat, they can cause pneumonia in people with weakened body defense systems. Factors such as vomiting, long-term surgeries, alcohol use and flu epidemics can also facilitate the development of pneumonia.
SYMPTOMS OF PNEUUMARY
In a patient with severe pneumonia;
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Blue discoloration of skin and mucosa,
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Severe shortness of breath,
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low blood pressure,
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There may be confusion.
HOW IS PNEUMATURE TREATMENT AND WHAT IS THE TREATMENT?
Treatment for pneumonia usually involves the use of antibiotics. Additionally, supportive measures such as resting the patient, drinking plenty of fluids, painkillers and antipyretics can also be applied. However, depending on the severity of the disease, hospitalization and more intensive treatment methods may be required after evaluating the patient’s condition. Especially in cases of severe pneumonia, hospitalization in the intensive care unit and respiratory support may be inevitable.
The place where the patient will be treated and the treatment plan to be applied are determined based on factors such as clinical condition, risk factors, possible microorganisms and severity of the disease. Necessary tests are performed and appropriate antibiotic treatment is started according to the results. The duration of treatment may vary depending on the initial severity of the disease, the causative microbe, the presence of other accompanying diseases and the individual response of the patient.
Generally, antibiotic use is recommended for another 5-7 days after the fever subsides. However, in cases of pneumonia caused by some types of microbes, the treatment period can be extended to 10-14 days or sometimes up to 21 days. The effectiveness of the treatment is evaluated according to the patient’s response and the treatment plan is arranged accordingly.
