Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) is a severe lung infection caused by exposure to hospital-based pathogens. Symptoms include fever, fatigue, chills, and difficulty breathing. Treatment includes antibiotics and supplemental oxygen. Risk factors include compromised immunity, recent surgery, and advanced age. Diagnosis involves blood and imaging tests. Prognosis is good with appropriate treatment, but death rates are relatively high for those exposed to gram-negative rods.
Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) is a lung infection that can be contracted within 48 hours of admission. Often caused by exposure to hospital-based pathogens, such as gram-negative rods and staph infection, HAP is considered a more severe form of traditional pneumonia. Treatment for this potentially life-threatening condition includes the use of antibiotics to treat the infection and, in some cases, supplemental oxygen to help with breathing.
There are three subdivisions of hospital-acquired pneumonia-associated disease: postoperative pneumonia, ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP), and healthcare-associated pneumonia (HCAP). One commonality among all forms of HAP is that an individual acquires the infection while in a health care setting, such as a hospital or clinic. Individuals with HAP generally exhibit the same symptoms as their exposure to pathogen-induced pneumonia in the community would have. The only difference between HAP and traditional pneumonia is the severity of symptom manifestation.
Individuals who have been hospitalized may already have compromised immunity, making them more susceptible to gram-negative rods and staph infection. Increased susceptibility can often be accentuated by additional risk factors. Individuals suffering from alcoholism, chronic disease, or advanced age have a higher risk of developing HAP after hospitalization. Additional items that may put an individual at risk may include recent surgery and the use of medications that suppress the immune system.
Those who develop hospital-acquired pneumonia may experience a range of symptoms that can manifest to varying degrees. Common signs of pneumonia such as fever, fatigue and chills are often the first to appear. Individuals with HAP may also develop nausea, joint pain, and difficulty breathing. Other signs indicative of HAP can include loss of appetite, a greenish tinge to mucus and phlegm, and chest pain that occurs when you cough or take deep breaths.
There are several tests that can be employed to confirm a diagnosis of hospital-acquired pneumonia. In addition to a physical exam that may indicate breathing problems, such as fluid buildup in the lungs, an individual may have blood and imaging tests. A complete blood count (CBC) may be done to evaluate red and white blood cell counts and hemoglobin levels. Sputum samples may be taken from the bronchial tubes and lungs of those whose mucus is discolored to check for bacteria. Imaging tests including a computed tomography (CT) scan and chest X-ray may be done to assess the condition of the individual’s lungs.
Treatment for hospital-acquired pneumonia centers on giving antibiotics to treat the infection. The type of antibiotic used depends on the type of bacteria causing the infection, identified during the analysis of the sputum culture. In some cases, it may be necessary to give supplemental oxygen to help with breathing. Additional treatments may be given to help break up mucus buildup in the lungs and make breathing easier.
Individuals of advanced age or those who do not respond well to treatment have a higher risk of developing further complications, such as acute respiratory failure. Death rates associated with HAP are relatively high for those who acquire the condition through exposure to the pathogen’s gram-negative rods. With appropriate treatment, the prognosis associated with HAP is good, and individuals often make a full recovery within two weeks.
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