Pneumonia Case Study

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MEDICAL DIAGNOSIS: Pneumonia: Pneumonia is an infection in one or both lungs. The infection may be caused by fungi, bacteria, or viruses. Pneumonia causes inflammation in your lungs air sacs, also referred to as alveoli. The alveoli fill with fluid or pus, making it difficult to breathe. The invading organism causes symptoms, in part, by provoking a large immune response in the lungs. The capillaries become leaky, and protein-rich fluid seeps into the alveoli. This results in a less functional area for oxygen-carbon dioxide exchange. The patient becomes relatively oxygen deprived, while at the same time retaining large amounts of carbon dioxide. During this process, mucus production is increased. Plugs may be formed and further decrease the efficiency of gas exchange taking place. Symptoms of pneumonia can range from mild to life threatening. Pneumonia can be caused by inhaling food, dust, liquid, gas, and by various fungi. Common symptoms include chest pain, shaking chills, fever, dry cough, muscle aches, nausea and vomiting, rapid breathing and rapid heart rate. Symptoms that may indicate a medical emergency are bluish skin tone, labored breathing, high fever and confusion. Management and treatment of pneumonia involves a course of antibiotics. This patient is allergic to clindamycin and vancomycin, so he is being treated with tazobactam/piperacillin. The patient is also receiving multiple courses of respiratory treatment, including vest therapy, cough assistance and nebulizer treatments. Hypoxemia: Abnormally low levels of oxygen in the blood. Hypoxemia may be mild to severe and leads to shortness of breath. Low blood oxygen can result from a variety of conditions that affect either the ability of the heart to pump blood to the lungs to receive oxygen or the function of the lungs themselves. Cerebral hypoxia can be caused by any event that severely
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