Features of the development and treatment of congestive pneumonia in the elderly

Congestive pneumonia in the elderly is a serious problem that requires an immediate response from the relatives. In this situation, the respiratory tract and organs are open to infection, as well as the elderly body is weak, the consequences can be very sad.

Pneumonia is a disease which affects lung tissue. The more protracted the situation, the harder it will be to cope later.

As appears and develops pneumonia in the elderly?

Any disease associated with the respiratory system, it is very dangerous for the elderly. This is because with age the body's defenses are greatly reduced and even the common cold can cause serious injury.

Pneumonia has its forms, which occur in each age category. For example, the average age is characterized by a lobar pneumonia, which has symptoms quite bright, making it easy to diagnose. If the patient will spend on drink a course of medications, the recovery will come rather quickly. But the older the person becomes, the riskier for him to get sick of focal pneumonia. Pneumonia in the elderly is perceived heavier body.

Infection with pneumonia have all done the same way, only unlike the young, the elderly have a slightly different system of protection. Pathogens that enter the body, should meet on the way antibodies. But the aged body can no longer produce them in the proper amount, causing disease and becomes more severe.

The older the person becomes, the more violations going on in his body: systems, organs and tissues because of age can no longer fully perform my job. Accordingly, this situation causes a weakening of one or another side, so the old people get sick more often than young. Pneumonia in the elderly is a violation of the drainage function of the body is accumulation of mucus, which eventually thickens. The savings produced by the affected bronchi.

In bedridden patients, the situation is much more complicated, because in this position produces sores and swelling. If such formations are localized in the upper part of the sternum, then it is a signal of the violation of blood flow in the pulmonary parenchyma that is a good basis for inflammatory processes in the lungs and development of pneumonia in these patients.

Quite frequently pneumonia occurs if a person hasto take medication. The organism has not time to withdraw all of chemistry, and develops toxicity. All these factors lead to an individual approach in the treatment of disease in older people.

Why you may see pneumonia in elderly person?

The development of such a disease requires certain preconditions. In the future they will push the doctor in selecting the treatment.

It can be following factors:

1. Pneumonia in the elderly may develop during the rehabilitation period.

For example, if a person has done some operation and now he has to lie a lot. In this case, there is a risk of functional or even anatomical changes. Especially often it occurs in individuals who have suffered a stroke, heart or lung disease, which became confined to bed (even for a short time).

2. Because of the age the lungs also begin to change.

If you listen to the breath of the elderly (over 65 years), it is possible to draw attention to the fact that it is not deep and shallow. This is because now the aperture has a slight reduction, its functions are not performed fully. As we age, reduced elasticity of the lung tissue, causing them to be difficult to clean the accumulation of mucus, which is the perfect environment for bacteria to grow. Congestive form of pneumonia develops because of the activities of anaerobes, pneumococci, and enterobacteria.

3. The human body has large and small circles of blood circulation.

The older the person becomes, the weaker the last of them. Bronchi are already not ventilated properly, and all living in them the germs begin to actively colonize bronchotracheal tree and oropharynx.

All these moments, alas, eventually come to everyone. Nevertheless, this time is the maximum delay, if in his youth to follow a healthy lifestyle and to give up all bad habits. Of course, the conditions of the environment do not change, but you can at least eliminate alcohol and cigarettes.

What are the symptoms of pneumonia in the elderly?

There are a number of symptoms that will help you to diagnose a pneumonia. These include:

1. Unproductive cough. This is the main symptom, but it occurs not at all, so the clinical picture should be evaluated as a whole.
2. If in the lungs began the inflammatory process, they will manifest themselves in the form of shortness of breath. In most cases pneumonia is only the symptom, andothers are not detected.
3. This disease may be accompanied by feeling of heaviness and chest pain, especially with movement of the diaphragm: deep breathing, sneezing, coughing, etc.
4. On examination, the doctor spends listening to the chest, in which said tissue lesion of the pleura. When tapping the chest and back can be dull or hear the crisp sound, but this symptom is not always manifests itself and can be weakly expressed. By the way, that is why it is important to get to a qualified specialist who will "catch" this symptom.

The General condition is also deteriorating. The person becomes withdrawn, his physical and emotional reactions are reduced. He always wants to sleep, consciousness periodically fogged up. The General mood was characterized as apathetic, and the patient may refuse to eat. All of these points may indicate that, in addition to respiratory, begins to wonder about the Central nervous system.

Pneumonia is often accompanied by fever.

In addition to the loss of appetite, the patient may experience problems with retention of urine, his physical strength greatly weakened.

These symptoms are more typical for the initial stage of the disease. Temperature readings of the body can be kept normal, and can be omitted. In this condition, you should pay special attention.

Of course, these symptoms can talk about other diseases. But if the levels of sucrose in the blood may not be supported by medicines, while the patient has heart failure and his condition becomes worse, and leucocytosis is absent, the direct symptoms of pneumonia.

What would be the treatment of the disease?

As soon as the patient is diagnosed, one should immediately begin treatment, which involves action of the following nature:

• if the pneumonia manifests itself difficult, then the patient urgently hospitalitynet;
• in therapy must include antibiotics, mucolytic and expectorant drugs, allowing bring the phlegm (Bromhexine", "Mukaltin", "Ambroxol");
• to the respiratory function was not broken and work properly heart, the patient is prescribed special heart medication.

If timely relief to sick, despite long-term treatment, to recover it you can. In most cases, the speed of the reaction of others depends on the patient's life.