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Aspiration pneumonia, also called aspiration pneumonia, is an infection of the lung caused by the aspiration or inhalation of liquids or particles that came from the mouth or stomach, reaching the airways, and leading to the appearance of some signs and symptoms such as cough, feeling of shortness of breath and difficulty breathing, for example.
This type of pneumonia is usually associated with changes in swallowing and, therefore, it occurs more frequently in babies, the elderly and people who breathe with the help of devices. These people have a weaker immune system and, therefore, it is important that the diagnosis and treatment for aspiration pneumonia be started quickly to prevent complications.
Symptoms of aspiration pneumonia
Symptoms of aspiration pneumonia usually include:
- Fever above 38ºC;
- Cough with phlegm, which often smells bad;
- Feeling of shortness of breath;
- Difficulty breathing;
- Chest pain;
- Easy tiredness.
The symptoms of pneumonia in the baby can be different, manifesting mainly through excessive crying and decreased appetite. In the case of older people, there may also be mental confusion and decreased muscle strength, and there may also be fever in some cases.
Although it happens in babies, the elderly and people who breathe with the help of devices, aspiration pneumonia can also happen in people who have difficulty swallowing, as in the case of stroke, are unconscious due to medication or anesthesia, who are vomiting, have reflux or have undergone diagnostic, dental, digestive or respiratory procedures, for example.
The signs and symptoms of aspiration pneumonia usually appear 3 days after the person has choked on food or with secretions, being diagnosed by a general practitioner or pulmonologist after evaluation of the clinical history and complementary exams, such as chest X-ray and blood test or phlegm.
Aspiration pneumonia in a baby
Baby aspiration pneumonia is one of the main infections in the lungs of children under 1 year of age, since it is common for the infant to choke or place small objects in the mouth, which may go to the lungs. This pneumonia is usually caused by choking with vomiting, which can happen when the baby has esophageal malformations, such as atresia or when regurgitating on his back.
Treatment for aspiration pneumonia in the baby should be done according to the pediatrician's guidance, and can be done at home with the use of antibiotic syrups, however in some cases hospitalization may be necessary, depending on the severity of the disease.
How the treatment is done
The treatment of aspiration pneumonia should be done according to the recommendation of the pulmonologist and most of the time it lasts about 1 to 2 weeks and can be done at home with the use of antibiotics, such as Ceftriaxone, Levofloxacin, Ampicillin-sulbactam and can be associate Clindamycin in more severe cases. But, depending on the severity of the disease, and the patient's health, hospitalization may be necessary.
During treatment, the patient should always brush his teeth, keeping his mouth clean and removing the throat clearing, as these are great ways to prevent the transport of bacteria from the mouth to the lung.
In the elderly, in addition to treating aspiration pneumonia, it is important to prevent the problem that led to pneumonia from happening again. For this, techniques such as eating solid foods, in small amounts, and taking gelatin instead of water can be used.
After treatment, it may be recommended to perform a chest x-ray to confirm that there is no fluid in the lung, as well as to avoid places with a lot of pollution, to take the pneumococcal vaccine and to evaluate measures that prevent a new aspiration and to prevent pneumonia come back.