Get To Know More About Aspiration Pneumonia Prevention

By Patricia Young


In essences, aspiration pneumonia is a complication affecting pulmonary inhalation when an individual inhales food, saliva or stomach acid to the lungs. Additionally, food travelling back from your stomach may be aspirated to the esophagus. Because all these situations may convey bacteria that bring about infections to the lungs, aspiration pneumonia prevention remains very crucial. Even though healthy lungs can clear up such aspirated contents, failure to do such clearances will often cause pneumonia.

Basically, pneumonia due to the aspirated materials arises if the body defenses have been impaired and the aspirated contents contain harmful bacteria. On the other hand, an individual may aspirate and develop this condition when a drink or food goes the wrong way. However, this may occur even when you have normal swallowing. Nevertheless, a person can be able to clear up, thereby preventing this condition although people with impaired coughing ability may find it difficult to clear it up.

The impaired coughing ability may arise due to a number factors. Such factors are such as throat cancer, neurological disorders, and medical conditions such as myasthenia gravis. Other causes of impaired coughing ability are such as a weak immune system, use of anesthesia or sedatives, and excessive use of illegal or prescription drugs or alcohol. The other causes are such as dental problems which interfere with swallowing, as well as esophageal disorders.

Some people are also more likely to suffer from this pneumonic condition due to various risk factors. Such risk factors are such as the lung disease impaired consciousness, stroke, dementia, and seizures. The other risk factors are such as dental problems, impaired mental status, swallowing dysfunction, as well as some neurologic diseases. Also, gastro-esophageal reflux disease, heartburn, and radiation therapy to the neck and head are other risk factors.

This pneumonic condition is often diagnosed in different ways. To begin with, physicians usually assess for pneumonic symptoms via physical assessments. This is meant to pick out symptoms like decreases in airflows, crackling lung generated sounds as well as rapid heart rates. Several additional tests may also be recommended by the doctor just to verify the condition including sputum culture, chest CT scans, arterial blood gas, bronchoscopy, chest x-ray as well as blood culture.

Treatment of aspirated pneumonic conditions usually is dependent on the level of severity of the condition. On the other hand, the period as well as the results of treatments usually relies on policies held by a hospital, any preexisting conditions as well as the general health status of patients. With severe conditions, hospitalization is deemed necessary. Doctors usually also prescribe antibiotics to remedy the condition.

Nonetheless, aspirated pneumonia remains largely preventable. This can be through keeping away from behaviors that bring about aspirations such as excessive drinking. In addition, an individual may need to be keen when taking medications that induce drowsiness. Nevertheless, proper dental care is also necessary to be observed much more regularly.

There are also complications that come with aspirated pneumonia. Such complications are such as bronchiectasis or lung abscess that arise if the condition is left untreated. This condition may also result in acute respiratory distress.




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