Skip navigation | ||
|
||
Medical Encyclopedia |
|
Other encyclopedia topics: | A-Ag Ah-Ap Aq-Az B-Bk Bl-Bz C-Cg Ch-Co Cp-Cz D-Di Dj-Dz E-Ep Eq-Ez F G H-Hf Hg-Hz I-In Io-Iz J K L-Ln Lo-Lz M-Mf Mg-Mz N O P-Pl Pm-Pz Q R S-Sh Si-Sp Sq-Sz T-Tn To-Tz U V W X Y Z 0-9 |
Contents of this page: | |
|
|
Alternative names Return to top
Nosocomial pneumoniaDefinition Return to top
Hospital-acquired pneumonia is an infection of the lungs contracted during a hospital stay.Causes, incidence, and risk factors Return to top
Pneumonia is a very common illness. It is caused by many different organisms and can range in seriousness from mild to life-threatening. Hospital-acquired pneumonia tends to be more serious because defense mechanisms against infection are often impaired during a hospital stay, and the kinds of infecting organisms are more dangerous than those generally encountered in the community.
Risk factors predisposing people to hospital-acquired pneumonia are alcoholism, older age, immunosuppression from medications or diseases, recent illness, and risk of aspiration.
Symptoms Return to top
Signs and tests Return to top
A physical examination reveals respiratory distress and crackles or decreased breath sounds when listening to the chest with a stethoscope.
Tests performed may include:
Treatment Return to top
The objective of treatment is to cure the infection with antibiotics. An antibiotic is selected based on the specific causative organism detected by sputum culture. However, the organism cannot always be identified from testing, so antibiotic therapy is given to fight the most common bacterial organisms that infect hospitalized patients (Staphylococcus aureus and Gram negative rods).
Supportive treatment includes supplemental oxygen and respiratory treatments to loosen and remove thick secretions from the lungs.
Expectations (prognosis) Return to top
Most patients respond to the treatment and improve in 2 weeks. However, hospital-acquired pneumonias can be very severe and sometimes fatal.
Complications Return to top
Elderly or debilitated patients who fail to respond to treatment may die from acute respiratory failure.
Calling your health care provider Return to top
This disorder usually develops in the hospital and is detected there.
Prevention Return to top
Ongoing prevention programs to limit hospital-acquired infections are in place at most institutions.
Update Date: 1/16/2004 Updated by: Daniel Levy, M.D., Ph.D., Infectious Diseases, Greater Baltimore Medical Center, Baltimore, MD. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
Home | Health Topics | Drug Information | Encyclopedia | Dictionary | News | Directories | Other Resources | |
Copyright | Privacy | Accessibility | Selection Guidelines U.S. National Library of Medicine, 8600 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20894 National Institutes of Health | Department of Health & Human Services |
Page last updated: 28 October 2004 |