Pneumonia is an inflammatory lung condition affecting the alveoli. It is usually caused by a viral or bacterial infection, but other possible causes include fungi or bacteria-like organisms, some medication, and certain medical conditions, such as autoimmune diseases. Pneumonia hospitalizes around one million people in the United States each year and is the leading reason for hospitalization among American children.
Medical conditions that increase the risk of developing pneumonia are cystic fibrosis, COPD, asthma, heart failure, and diabetes. Other risk factors are smoking, and problems coughing. Pneumonia is particularly dangerous for the elderly, the young and those with weak immune systems.
Symptoms of pneumonia include chest pain when breathing or coughing; a productive cough; confusion; fatigue; fever; sweating and chills; a low body temperature; shortness of breath; nausea; vomiting; and diarrhea.
Pneumococcal vaccines are available to protect against certain types of pneumonia. Antibiotics are often an important part of pneumonia treatment including macrolide, tetracycline, 3rd generation cephalosporin, oxazolidinone, fluoroquinolone, and undetermined generation cephalosporin antibiotics. Other drug classes used to treat pneumonia are sulfonamide and trimethoprim antibiotic combinations, penicillin and beta-lactamase inhibitor combination antibiotics and agents for leishmaniasis and trypanosomiasis.
Patients taking medication for asthma have been reminded to keep up-to-date with vaccinations against pneumococcal disease. The Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (AAFA) released the warning following a survey, which revealed many at-risk patients with asthma were unaware of their vaccination...
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