Hospital-acquired pneumonia (patient information)

Hospital-acquired pneumonia
Overview
What are the symptoms?
What are the causes?
Diagnosis
Treatment options
Where to find medical care for Hospital-acquired pneumonia?
Prevention
What to expect (Outlook/Prognosis)?
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Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-In-Chief:Shivali Marketkar, M.B.B.S. [2]

Overview

Hospital-acquired pneumonia is an infection of the lungs that occurs during a hospital stay. This type of pneumonia can be very severe. Sometimes it can be fatal.

What are the symptoms of (Hospital-acquired pneumonia)?

In an elderly person, the first sign of hospital-acquired pneumonia may be mental changes or confusion. Other symptoms are:

• A cough that may produce mucus-like, greenish, or pus-like phlegm (sputum)

• Fever and chills

• General discomfort, uneasiness, or ill feeling (malaise)

• Loss of appetite

• Nausea and vomiting

• Sharp chest pain that gets worse with deep breathing or coughing

• Shortness of breath

What causes (Hospital-acquired pneumonia)?

Pneumonia is a common illness. It is caused by many different germs. Hospital-acquired pneumonia tends to be more serious than other lung infections because:

• Patients in the hospital are often very sick and cannot fight off germs.

• The types of germs present in a hospital are often more dangerous than those encountered in the community.

Hospital-acquired pneumonia occurs more often in patients who are using a respirator machine to help them breathe. This machine is also called a ventilator. This type of pneumonia is known as ventilator-associated pneumonia.Hospital-acquired pneumonia can also be spread by health care workers, who can pass germs from their hands or clothes from one patient to another. That is why hand-washing, wearing gowns, and using other safety measures is so important in the hospital.

Patients who are more prone to getting hospital-acquired pneumonia:

• Are alcoholic

• Have had chest surgery or other major surgery

• Have a weak immune system from cancer treatment, certain medicines, or severe wounds

• Have long-term (chronic) lung disease

• Breathe saliva or food into their lungs as a result of not being fully alert or problems swallowing

• Are older

Diagnosis

Tests to check for hospital-acquired pneumonia may include:

Arterial blood gases, to measure oxygen levels in the blood

Blood cultures, to see if the infection has spread to the blood

Chest x-ray or CT scan, to check the lungs

Complete blood count (CBC)

Pulse oximetry, to measure oxygen levels in the blood

Sputum culture or sputum gram stain, to check for what germs are causing the pneumonia

Where to find medical care for (Hospital-acquired pneumonia)?

to Hospitals Treating Hospital-acquired pneumonia

Sources

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