--Apple-Mail-E1F3A731-475E-4E41-9286-D73A107EFE5A Content-Type: text/plain; charset=utf-8 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Maria Licoudis R.N Critical care nursing Palliative and Long Term Care Hospital and Home Care Medical Nursing Writing mariamalicoudis@gmail.com Begin forwarded message: > From: Connie Perl > Date: July 6, 2015 at 6:43:51 PM GMT-4 > To: Maria Licoudis > Subject: article pneumonia >=20 > Pneumonia in the Elderly >=20 > =20 >=20 > Pneumonia is an acute inflammation of the alveolar spaces of the lungs. I= t causes the alveoli in the lungs to fill with infective exudate, and secret= ions. There are many different kinds of pneumonia. The elderly are more su= sceptible to pneumonia for many reasons. They already suffer from a multitu= de of conditions that can include heart disease, dementia, diabetes, viral r= espiratory infections, chronic respiratory infections, smoking, malnutrition= , cancers, and other illnesses that make an older person=E2=80=99s immune sy= stem response and defenses much weaker. >=20 > =20 >=20 > Pneumonia can be caused by more than thirty types of organisms and differe= nt strains, which means that symptoms can vary from case to case. Symptoms o= f pneumonia include fever, cough, green or yellow sputum, chest pain, stabbi= ng chest pain, malaise, weakness, chills, blood-speckled or pink sputum, gas= trointestinal symptoms like nausea and vomiting, diarrhea, shortness of brea= th, lethargy, loss of appetite, and dizziness. Initially, the cough tends t= o be dry and hacking, but later the cough becomes productive with chest pain= . There may be crackles and rales heard in the chest and upon breathing. Fre= quently, the history will reveal that the patient had a recent viral or resp= iratory illness, or a cold. >=20 > =20 >=20 > Simple diagnostic tests can confirm a case of pneumonia in the elderly. A= doctor listening to the senior=E2=80=99s lungs may hear crackling, bubbly s= ounds, rales, and rattling sounds, which signal infection and inflammation. = A chest x-ray or a CT scan can confirm the diagnosis. As well, a doctor ma= y check the pulse oximetry to see what the senior=E2=80=99s blood oxygen lev= els are. Phlegm can also be analyzed in a lab to reveal which bacteria is g= rowing. The elderly are more likely to catch streptococcal pneumonia which c= an come on slowly or suddenly and furthermore may damage the lungs and cause= toxemia in the bloodstream. >=20 > =20 >=20 > Treating pneumonia in the elderly depends on the organism that has trigger= ed the infection. If the senior has viral pneumonia, they may be prescribed a= ntiviral drugs. Hydration and eating well are of utmost importance. Bacter= ial pneumonia must be treated with antibiotics. If the senior is in the hos= pital they may also require oxygen and intravenous antibiotics as well as pu= ffers to ease the breathing discomfort. At times a low dose cough suppressa= nt can help to reduce coughing so the patient may sleep overnight.