If you were diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia rather than viral pneumonia you might feel relieved because medication can treat bacterial pneumonia but not vial pneumonia. However, the bad news is that heart complications in patients diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia are more serious than in patients diagnosed with viral pneumonia. That is the finding of 2018 research… Continue reading Bacterial Pneumonia Is Far More Dangerous to the Heart Than Viral Pneumonia
Category: Pneumonia
New Research Tracks Hand-to-Nose Spread of Dangerous Bacteria
Pneumonia-causing bacteria can be spread via another way besides the airborne method: It can spread through contact between the hands and the nose, according to new research published in the European Respiratory Journal. Pneumococcus, the bacteria that can cause pneumonia, is known to be spread through inhalation of airborne droplets containing the bacteria, for example,… Continue reading New Research Tracks Hand-to-Nose Spread of Dangerous Bacteria
Understanding Lung Problems
Lupe has smoked for over 45 years. This year she started having trouble keeping up with her 3-year-old grandson without gasping for air. She can no longer work in her garden without having coughing fits. Sometimes Lupe feels out of breath strolling through the market. Yet, Lupe was surprised when her doctor said she had… Continue reading Understanding Lung Problems
Predicting Older Adults’ Risk of Developing Pneumonia
In a study published in July 2016 in the Journal of American Geriatrics Society, researchers developed a “prediction score” to help healthcare professionals determine which older adults might be most at risk for developing pneumonia. A release from the society notes that pneumonia is a leading cause of sickness and death among older adults. About… Continue reading Predicting Older Adults’ Risk of Developing Pneumonia
Cancer, the Flu and You
According to the federal Centers for Disease Control, living with cancer increases your risk for complications from influenza, more commonly known as the flu. If you have cancer now or in the past, the CDC cautions, you are at higher risk for complications from seasonal flu or influenza. And those complications can include hospitalization and… Continue reading Cancer, the Flu and You
Respiratory Rate in Pneumonia Often Overlooked
Pneumonia, a severe lung infection, is the most common disease calling for hospital admission. More than one out of ten pneumonia patients die of the disease. Thus it is vital to predict accurately and to closely monitor the clinical course. Measuring the respiratory rate – the number of breaths a person takes in a minute – provides valuable information. However, far too little use is still being made of this vital sign in clinical practice, according to Richard Strauß and co-authors a study published in August 2014 in Deutsches Ärzteblatt.