Important Things To Know Concerning Aspiration Pneumonia Prevention

By Jose Nelson


It has always been suggested that the exact position where by aspiration gets initiated and the place where it usually tracks greatly determine the intervention procedures to actually reduce it. Medication management, physical positioning, modification of oral hygiene together with the activity without forgetting he cognitive training helps at a larger extent in aspiration pneumonia prevention.

The main reason as to why individual in LTC have a higher risk of getting infected is simply because of the greater frequency of some kind of risky factors which are associated with this kind of a disease like poor hygiene especially the oral hygiene, using some form of medication without forgetting dysphagia.

Some common consequential syndromes which occur due to aspiration include, pneumonia, pneumonitis as well as abscess. There are always some factors which are mostly associated with aspiration pneumonia some of which include dysphagia, poor oral hygiene without forgetting some form of medication.

Patients need to be re-positioned and turned in regular basis so as to effectively maximize the oropharyngeal secretion drainage. It is necessary to make sure that the head of the bed which the patient has been placed on is positioned at an angle of around thirty to forty five degrees. In times of oral intake the head of the bed is required to be elevated at about ninety degrees with both the hips together with the knees being at similar direction to the mid-line of chest is perfect.

This is basically a very common problem more specifically to the older individuals and it is one know common cause of aspiration. Growing old usually presents a major risk of dysphagia to the elderly even though with healthy aging there is always a physical toll on both the head together with the neck anatomy which tends to change both the neural and physiologic mechanisms which usually supports the swallowing process.

Interdisciplinary approach is basically one of method which dysphagia can be successfully managed as it tends to include nursing staff and their assistants, dietitians, physicians and language pathologists as well. The major focus of this kind of an approach is to largely maximize the safety of oral feeding especially when it has been compromised or interfered with.

A pharmacist is supposed to identify particular drugs which tend to greatly interfere with the functioning of the aerodigestive after which he is expected to suggest alternatives and eventually calculate times of peak drug concentration so as effectively maximize the meal time functioning. Controlling nausea together with vomiting, escaping constipation, maximizing alertness, improving gastric emptying and neurological function, good positioning without forgetting dietary modifications will eventually raise oral intake while at the same time minimizing the risk associated with aspiration.

There are several barriers which blocks proper administration of oral care to those vulnerable individual which includes resistant behaviors from patients, inadequate education for the staff and limited accountability of those practitioners administering oral care. In order to successfully overcome these kind of obstructions a multidisciplinary approach that incorporates dentists, hygienists and certified nursing subordinates is necessary.




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