Anatom3D
ENCZDE
Download

Pneumonia

Pneumonia · Zápal plic (pneumonie)

What it is

Infection fills alveoli with pus; gas exchange fails locally.

Symptoms & signs

  • Fever
  • productive cough
  • pleuritic chest pain
  • breathlessness
  • confusion in the elderly
  • fast breathing

🚩 Get help if…

  • call 112 / 911 now Struggling to breathe, or breathing very fast
  • call 112 / 911 now Blue lips, confusion or very drowsy
  • see a doctor soon Sharp chest pain on breathing in
  • see a doctor soon Fever not better after 3 days of antibiotics

Where it strikes

Medical treatment

  • Amoxicillin or doxycycline for community cases
  • IV antibiotics if severe
  • oxygen
  • fluids
  • CURB-65 to decide admission

Natural & lifestyle

  • Pneumococcal and flu vaccination
  • smoking cessation
  • good oral hygiene
  • early mobilisation

Emerging & experimental

  • Rapid PCR pathogen panels
  • phage therapy for resistant organisms
  • host-directed steroids

Alternative, off-label & anecdotal

Approaches used outside the guidelines, with what their supporters report and what testing has found so far.

  • Vitamin C — some trials show shorter illness, especially in the deficient; overall evidence is weak mixed evidence
  • Zinc in children — prevents pneumonia where diets are poor; as a treatment the trials disagree mixed evidence
  • Probiotics to prevent pneumonia on ventilators — trials disagree mixed evidence
  • Garlic, onion poultices, echinacea — folk remedies, not tested for pneumonia anecdotal / traditional

ICD codes