What Is Pneumonia?

Elderly pneumonia often lacks obvious respiratory symptoms. The symptoms are often atypical, the disease progresses rapidly, and missed diagnosis and misdiagnosis are prone to occur. The first symptoms are shortness of breath and dyspnea, or conscious disturbance, lethargy, dehydration, and loss of appetite.

Basic Information

English name

Pneumonia

Visiting department

Respiratory

Common locations

lung

Common causes

Gram-negative bacilli such as Escherichia coli, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, influenza, etc .; bacteria, viruses, fungi, aerobic bacteria, anaerobic bacteria, etc.

Common symptoms

Shortness of breath, dyspnea, lethargy, dehydration, loss of appetite; pulse rate, wet snoring, accompanied by diminished breathing sounds and bronchoalveolar breathing sounds, etc.

Causes of pneumonia

Gram-negative bacilli infection

More common, mostly E. coli, Klebsiella, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, influenza B.

2. Respiratory tract infections

Due to reduced body resistance in the elderly, fungi and anaerobic bacteria often exist in the oropharynx, which can cause pneumonia.

3. Mixed infection

Due to the low immune function, the elderly often show mixed infections caused by multiple pathogens. Such as bacteria, viruses, fungi, aerobic bacteria, anaerobic bacteria and so on.

4. Increase in drug-resistant bacteria

Due to the large and widespread use of antibiotics, the genes of pathogenic microorganisms have changed to produce drug resistance, of which Gram-negative bacilli are the most prominent.

Clinical manifestations of pneumonia

Aged pneumonia has the following clinical features.

Symptoms

There are no typical symptoms such as fever and sputum, and a few are symptomatic or asymptomatic. The first symptoms are shortness of breath and dyspnea, or conscious disturbance, lethargy, dehydration, and loss of appetite.

2. Signs

There may be pulse rate, shortness of breath, lung auscultation and wet snoring, or accompanied by weakened breathing and bronchoalveolar breathing.

Pneumonia test

Blood test

The total number of white blood cells can be increased or not high by routine blood tests, but more than half of them can see nuclear shift to the left, increased C-reactive protein, and accelerated sedimentation.

2. Arterial blood gas analysis

Arterial oxygen partial pressure may decrease, but when combined with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, due to poor alveolar ventilation, carbon dioxide partial pressure increases.

3. Chest X-ray

The bronchial pneumonia was imaged.

4. Water, electrolyte

Senile pneumonia is prone to water, electrolyte disorders and acidosis.

Diagnosis of pneumonia

Based on medical history and clinical manifestations and signs, combined with routine blood tests and chest X-ray examination can help diagnosis. The same pathogenic bacteria can be confirmed by sputum culture for 2 consecutive times.

Pneumonia treatment

Drug selection should be based on the type of germs and the results of drug sensitivity. Give oxygen inhalation and symptomatic treatment if symptoms such as hypoxia. Prevent complications. Strengthen the nursing of elderly patients, the diet should be light and easy to digest.