What causes bilateral pneumonia. How to identify pneumonia by symptoms? Recovery prognosis

Titles

Pneumonia bilateral is one of the most dangerous diseases lungs, which, if not properly treated, can result in the death of the patient.

Reasons for the development of bilateral pneumonia

Bilateral pneumonia is often provoked by the influence of harmful microorganisms on the lung tissue. Most often, the causative agent of this disease is pneumococcus, less often the disease can be caused by Haemophilus influenzae, staphylococcus, or several pathogens at the same time.

In the body of each person there are certain viruses and microbes, but the protective functions have a deterrent effect and do not allow pathogens to develop. Therefore, the causes of bilateral pneumonia are different, one of the main ones is the weakening of the immune system.

Deterioration defensive forces body can be caused by:

• violations of the rhythm of life;
• chronic diseases of the lungs and bronchi, provoking deformations of these organs;
• frequent colds;
• allergies;
• severe hypothermia;
• hypovitaminosis.

During hypothermia, local blood supply in the airways decreases, lung cells stop receiving nutrients and oxygen in required quantity. This provokes the creation favorable conditions for the development of pathogenic microorganisms.

Frequent colds have a destructive effect on the bronchial epithelium, and also provoke a decrease in local protection. Violations of the rhythm of life are presented, first of all, constant lack of sleep leading to a decrease in the reserve capacity of the body to counteract viruses and bacteria. The normal duration of human sleep should be at least 8 hours.

Allergies also weaken the immune system. Experts noted that bilateral pneumonia is often diagnosed in people suffering from bronchial asthma or hyperplastic rhinitis.

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Symptoms of bilateral pneumonia

Signs of bilateral pneumonia are similar to those of other forms of the disease.

Symptoms of bilateral pneumonia are presented:

• a sharp increase in body temperature, which practically does not decrease under the influence of antipyretic drugs;
• frequent headaches;
• the occurrence of pain in the chest, the intensity of which increases during deep breaths;
• weakness and malaise arising from a decrease in pressure;
• excessive sweating and shortness of breath;
• chills;
• muscle pain;
• loss of appetite;
• increased heart rate;
• signs of general intoxication of the body;
• bouts of coughing, accompanied by sputum with bloody impurities (sputum is not observed in all cases of the disease);
• the appearance of rashes on the face, as well as the acquisition skin pale or bluish.

Bilateral pneumonia belongs to the category of acute diseases, so the first symptoms appear within a few hours after the pathogen began to multiply in the respiratory tract. But depending on the severity of bilateral pneumonia and the stage of development, the symptoms can manifest themselves with different intensity.

In its development, the disease goes through two stages. The first stage is characterized by inflammation of the alveolar acini, accompanied by a slight hemorrhage. In the second stage, inflammation of the involved areas occurs and fibrin is formed on them. These processes provoke the development of respiratory failure.

When identifying the above symptoms, it is important to seek help from a doctor in a timely manner, because bilateral pneumonia develops rapidly and can be fatal in a week. In children, a more rapid development of the disease is noted than in the adult category of patients. In some cases, infection of the child from the mother through milk is diagnosed.

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Diagnosis of bilateral pneumonia

Diagnosis can only be made based on the results x-ray examination lungs. On the early stages the disease will manifest itself in the picture as focal or segmental eclipses.

If left untreated, within a few days clinical picture can change dramatically, and the picture will clearly show the absolute eclipse of both lungs. In this case, urgent hospitalization of the patient is necessary.

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Treatment of bilateral pneumonia

The appointment of treatment for bilateral pneumonia should be preceded by determining the nature of the pathogen, analyzing the state of the patient's immunity and identifying concomitant diseases. For this purpose, a bacteriological examination of the patient's sputum and a test for sensitivity to antibacterial drugs are carried out.

But quite often, specialists do not have additional time to conduct all necessary analyzes and treatment should be started immediately. In such cases, a general treatment regimen for bilateral pneumonia is used, in which the patient is prescribed strong antibiotics with a wide spectrum of activity. The main purpose of their use is to relieve inflammation and detoxify the body. Treatment involves simultaneous use several drugs. This helps prevent the development of serious pathologies.

Mandatory drugs include antihistamines and antipyretics. further therapy antibacterial drugs can be corrected after receiving the results of studies that give a better understanding of the pathogen. During the treatment of bilateral pneumonia, the patient must be in the hospital and be sure to adhere to the conditions of strict bed rest and high-calorie nutrition. For improvement protective functions The body of the patient is prescribed vitamin therapy.

To exclude the development of bilateral pneumonia, it is necessary, first of all, to prevent hypothermia. Therefore, the legs should always be kept warm. To a greater extent, this applies to young children who are not able to take care of themselves and at the same time are quite vulnerable to the effects of harmful microorganisms.

After a slight improvement in the condition, they can be assigned oxygen inhalations and physiotherapy procedures. It is strongly not recommended to treat bilateral pneumonia at home, because it is impossible to get rid of this disease without the use of antibiotic therapy.

According to medical terminology bilateral inflammation lung tissue commonly referred to as "". This characteristic is based on the fact that morphological changes in the parenchyma during infiltration resemble grains of oatmeal.

The disease was transferred to separate category due to the presence of specific morphological changes that can be detected in the patient's lung tissue. At the initial stage, small hemorrhages in the alveolar acini can be detected - the stage of "red hepatization".

After some time, the inflamed areas begin to be interrupted by fibrin, and the disease itself passes into the stage of "dead hepatization". The final stage of the pathological process is its resolution or the development of respiratory failure and subsequent death of the patient. It is adequate antibiotic therapy and the immune response of the patient's body that play the most important role in his recovery.

Total in medical practice There are several classifications of bilateral pneumonia. However, the main criterion is the localization of pathological foci. It is customary to single out:

• total pneumonia.

The latter is quite rare and is characterized rapid development pronounced clinical symptoms diseases. In such a situation in pathological process the entire tissue of both lungs is involved, due to which it quickly develops respiratory failure and death ensues.

Bilateral focal inflammation of the lungs is much less common and is characterized by damage to any two segments in the lungs. Quite often, such pneumonia is a consequence of artificial ventilation of the lungs, which was carried out for long period time for people in intensive care. Unfortunately, the prognosis for the development of such a disease is unfavorable, since quite voluminous and numerous lesions occur in both lungs.

If we consider the classification of bilateral pneumonia, taking into account the affected segment, then the following types can be distinguished:

• bilateral upper lobe;
• bilateral lower lobe;
• polysegmental.

Most severe course disease is inherent in the last of the presented pneumonias. Such a disease is extremely acute with severe intoxication, so it is necessary to carry out both etiotropic and pathogenetic treatment in a timely manner, aimed at eliminating the pathogen and eliminating the consequences of its vital activity. The most formidable complication this disease(in addition to respiratory failure) is the development of an immediate type of hypersensitivity, which leads to a rapidly increasing edema of lung tissue with impaired function respiratory system.

Etiology of the disease

Significant influence on the course of the clinical picture is exerted not only by the state immune system person, but also the action of provoking factors, which include:

• hypothermia;
• frequent respiratory diseases;
• the presence of autoimmune pathologies;
• constant lack of sleep;
• surfactant defect;
• COPD;
• the presence of allergic reactions.

With hypothermia, the symptoms of pneumonia may occur due to a decrease in the blood supply to the organs of the respiratory system (especially lower divisions lungs). Due to the insufficient supply of oxygen to the blood, nutrients are also delivered to the tissues in smaller quantities, and this Negative influence affects the decrease in the transport of immunoglobulins to the cells of the lung tissue. In this case, there is a violation of the production of alveolar macrophages, which act as protectors of the upper and lower respiratory tract. As a result of these pathological processes, enhanced growth and reproduction of bacteria and viruses.

Frequent infectious diseases are a factor that provokes the development inflammatory response in the lung tissue by reducing local immunity.

Insufficient sleep significantly reduces the body's reserve capacity, which is why it cannot cope with the effects of pathogenic microorganisms.

Surfactant is a structural component of alveolar cells. The action of this glycoprotein is based on the provision of elasticity and the normal functioning of gas exchange between external environment and red blood cells. In case of violation of the structure of the surfactant, the damaged areas of the lung tissue are overgrown with areas of connective tissue fibers.

COPD contributes to a decrease in local immunity and deformation of the broncho-pulmonary tree. In this pathological process, bronchiectasis is formed, which can serve as a kind of reservoir for the accumulation of pathogenic flora.

Allergic reactions systematically disrupt the normal functioning of the immune system, due to which the body cannot adequately respond to penetrating viruses and bacteria. The tendency to develop bilateral pneumonia is significantly increased in people with bronchial asthma and various atopies.

The mechanism of development of pathology

Microaspiration of the contents of the oropharynx

This process is considered physiological and occurs even in healthy people during sleep. At this moment, the surface of the bronchi and trachea self-cleansing occurs without the development of any pathological phenomena. However, anaerobic flora can settle on the nasopharyngeal mucosa, tooth enamel and in the interdental space, and then again be understood in the tracheobronchial tree.

Aerosol mechanism

The depth of penetration of elements in the air directly depends on their size. Particles larger than 10 microns are retained in the nasal cavity (the act of sneezing), and grains smaller than 5 microns freely penetrate the bronchi and bronchioles. For the development of the inflammatory process in the lung tissue, it is enough to penetrate even one particle into the alveolus.

Hematogenous route of transmission

Before the infection penetrates the lungs, it develops in the inflammatory focus for a certain period. As a rule, group A beta-hemolytic staphylococcus aureus acts as the causative agent. The least common route of transmission is precisely its migration from neighboring organs, but it still exists.

Impaired local immune response

The inhaled air is enriched with various pathogens, but its filtration and purification occur during the passage of gas through the upper respiratory tract. Normally, all pathogenic particles should be retained in the nasal cavity due to small hairs and their adherence in the mucous membrane. However, in some situations, it is possible to swallow them, after which the development of the inflammatory process occurs.

Also, the development of pneumonia can contribute to:

• violation (decrease or complete absence) cough reflex;
• tissue damage;
• or swelling of the lung tissue;
• accumulation of secretions in the upper and lower respiratory tract.

Symptom complex of bilateral pneumonia

Development of a bilateral community-acquired pneumonia, usually occurs against the background of a long infectious disease. Therefore, it is quite difficult to differentiate individual signs and manifestations of pneumonia.

You can suspect the occurrence of pneumonia in a patient in the following situations:

• at sharp deterioration the patient's condition against the background of a sluggish acute respiratory viral infection or bronchitis;
• if within two weeks the intensity of cough does not decrease after a previous cold;
• in evening time body temperature rises to subfebrile indicators;
• appetite, body weight are significantly reduced, asthenia and muscle weakness develop;
• there is cyanosis (cyanosis) of the nasolabial triangle and pallor of the skin;
• The patient complains of shortness of breath and lack of air.

In the classical course of this disease, the clinical picture is much more pronounced:

• observed sharp rise temperature to febrile indicators;
• chills with discharge a large number sweat;
• barking dry cough, which becomes productive over time;
• the presence of purulent sputum.

The above manifestations can often occur with secondary pneumonia, which develop due to previously formed foci of viral or bacterial pathogens. It is this variant of the development of pneumonia that indicates a long-term struggle of the body with pathogenic flora and a gradual decrease in the efficiency of the immune system.

With the development of bilateral pneumonia, it is possible to identify specific features that have been described previously. However, there are laboratory and instrumental diagnostics, which help the specialist accurately put correct diagnosis. These include:

1. Radiography. This melody is obligatory, since it is precisely X-ray provides comprehensive information about the state of the lung tissue and the presence of foci of enlightenment (site of inflammation).
2. Sputum analysis. This technique is carried out during the patient's cough (for sputum sampling). Thanks to the study of this discharge, it is possible to identify the causative agent of pneumonia.
3. General blood analysis. An increase in the erythrocyte sedimentation rate and leukocytosis are sure signs of a violent inflammatory reaction in the patient's body.

Features of treatment

Fulfillment of assigned medical measures with the development of pneumonia, it can be carried out both at home and in a hospital. The choice of one or another option is based on:

• presence of signs of respiratory failure;
• patient's age;
• his general condition;
• presumed type of disease;
• possible patient care;
• the presence of smoking cohabitants.

Treatment bacterial pneumonia, as a rule, is carried out only with the use of drugs belonging to the group of antibiotics. Therefore, to begin with, a drug is selected a wide range actions and only after the identification of the pathogen give preference to one or another drug.

After diagnostic confirmation of the etiological pathogen, treatment may change several times. The effectiveness of the chosen treatment plan is usually evaluated in the first 2-3 days after its appointment.

If there is a decrease in intensity while taking an antibiotic clinical manifestations(hyperthermia, weakness, lack of air), then drug therapy is not changed. If the patient's condition does not improve, then doctors must make a decision and replace the ineffective remedy.

The main thing is to remember what timely diagnosis and treatment of the disease can provide development undesirable consequences. Therefore, if you feel unwell and cough, immediately seek help from the nearest clinic.

Pneumonia is a disease that often occurs in acute form but for a number of reasons it becomes chronic. Bilateral pneumonia usually occurs as a complication of influenza, SARS, respiratory pathologies, primarily in immunocompromised people, in young children, the elderly, the elderly and those who are “tied” to bed: bedridden patients and the disabled. If the diagnosis is confirmed, hospitalization is required.

The causative agents of the pathology are Klebsiella pneumoniae, pneumococcus, legionella, Escherichia coli, chlamydia, mycoplasma, streptococcus, staphylococcus aureus, Pfeiffer's bacillus, Burnet's coxiella, and other bacteria. They are transmitted by airborne droplets, through water, blood and secretions. infected person, from mother to child in utero and in other ways. Symptoms of inflammation appear during the first day, and in newborns - after a few hours.

At bilateral pneumonia first the right and then the left lung is affected, or the process covers them at the same time. There is an intensive reproduction of pathogenic microflora when it enters the pleura or inside the alveoli. The condition worsens in a short period of time - 1-2 days. The situation is difficult. The respiratory function is disturbed on a large scale: both lungs stop fully ventilating the body, oxygen starvation occurs.

With bilateral pneumonia, a person can die or get a complication in the heart, vascular system.

Treatment is carried out after diagnosis, broad-spectrum antibiotic drugs are prescribed based on the age of the patient and the presence of concomitant diseases (diabetes, ulcers, hypotension, and so on). At the same time, drugs are selected that will remove acute symptoms.

Causes of double pneumonia

If inflammation of the lungs due to bacterial or viral infection, then other motives for its occurrence are revealed. These are lack of sleep, hypothermia, allergies, poisoning with chemical fumes, a defect in the surfactant (a substance that fills the alveoli), chronic and autoimmune diseases, injury.

A cause such as disability often causes pneumonia. The immobility of a person (paralysis) disrupts the functioning of the respiratory system: the lungs “compress”, there is no possibility for the tissues to change their position, and the alveoli to function correctly.

With gradual or sharp hypothermia, pneumonia often develops precisely on bilateral lung damage. The same applies to severe overheating and rapid cooling of the body. For example: a person fell through the ice or incorrectly hardens the body, heat stroke. In case of deterioration of health after these cases, a doctor's consultation is required.

Complications of bilateral pneumonia

Late or discontinued ahead of time treatment threatens, cardiovascular diseases(stroke, ischemia, endocarditis and the like). Often there is edema, lung abscess, bacteremia (blood poisoning and sepsis of other organs), toxic shock, meningitis, glomerulonephritis and other pathologies. Many of these consequences are incompatible with life, so doctors need to carefully and quickly diagnose the identified symptoms in adults and children.

Symptoms of bilateral pneumonia

Acute current disease is accompanied by typical symptoms: temperature above 38-39 C, chills, a person often sweats, coughs, weakness.

Symptoms with the intensive development of pneumonia:

• respiratory failure;
• the skin on the fingertips and in the area of ​​​​the nasolabial triangle turns blue (cyanosis);
• rash on the face, similar to herpes;
• general intoxication;
• dyspnea;
• cough is absent or is dry or with sputum;
• shallow breathing;
• pain when inhaling, turning the body;
• non-falling temperature;
• tachycardia.

Having identified such symptoms in oneself, it is necessary to consult a doctor no later than on the second day by calling a pulmonologist or “ ambulance" on house. After the examination, the doctor will confirm the presence of wheezing or the diagnosis of pneumonia will be called into question, but tests will still be required.

Symptoms in infants (ages 0 to 12 months):

Bilateral pneumonia in children is confirmed by the presence of fine bubbling rales in the lungs. Parents of babies and relatives of people at risk should not postpone the examination even for several hours: pneumonia is transient, bilateral damage may immediately occur, and if it is not provided in time medical care there is a risk of developing an abscess and lethal outcome.

Diagnosis of bilateral pneumonia

The task of doctors: to find the cause of pneumonia, to analyze the stage and severity of the disease. Also, the doctor must choose adequate methods and drugs for fast elimination pathology and prevention of complications.

Pneumonia doesn't give you time to think. The incoming patient is immediately sent for X-ray, take general analysis blood, urine, cough sputum sample to identify a specific pathogen.

Physical research methods: visual examination of the patient (the condition of the skin, nails, breathing, etc.), tapping the back in the lungs (percussion), listening to noises in the organs (auscultation).

Pneumonia gives a complication to the heart, so the patient is sent for an ECG, EchoCG (echocardiograph). Spend ultrasound procedure pleural cavity to exclude pleurisy (empyema, effusion, dry), other changes in the pulmonary membrane.

Treatment of bilateral pneumonia

Treatment is carried out immediately, prescribing broad-spectrum antibiotics, since sputum analysis to identify the causative agent of pneumonia takes several days. Having received the results bacteriological research, the doctor corrects the course drug therapy.

Upon admission of a patient with a diagnosis of pneumonia, in the first days a dietary table No. 13 is prescribed in a complex manner, then transferred to No. 15. It is allowed to drink warm or room temperature liquids: diluted (non-concentrated) berry, fruit and vegetable juices, rosehip decoction. Herbal infusions and teas are drunk with the knowledge of a doctor who will correct the combined effect of herbal remedies with medicines.

Pneumonia is treated according to the following rules:

After temperature stabilization and removal acute symptoms pneumonia is prescribed massage. The treatment has a beneficial effect on the respiratory system, helps to separate and remove sputum, exudate (pathological fluid formed in the alveoli).

You can not lie on one side for a long time, it is recommended to toss and turn, so that air and blood circulation in the inflamed lungs passes better. When pneumonia stops developing and the patient's condition improves, treatment with physiotherapy (electrophoresis, inhalation, massage) using lidase, calcium chloride, potassium is added.

Exercise therapy is also prescribed (physical education intended for prevention and recovery), breathing exercises. Exercises are selected to improve gas exchange, blood circulation, lymph in the lungs, and normalize ventilation processes.

Drug treatment of pneumonia includes drugs:

• antibacterial (in a complex of 2-3 drugs);
• immunostimulating;
• antipyretic;
• removing intoxication (poisoning symptoms: migraine, nausea);
• antihistamines;
• mucolytic;
• expectorants.

Based on the examinations, the doctor treats pneumonia, that is, he selects tactics: frequency of administration, doses, duration of the course, decides when to start physiotherapy, exercise therapy. In extremely difficult situations necessary surgical intervention. Medications are used in stages, taking into account the incoming test results.

The second time the radiograph is taken approximately 21-30 days from the onset of the disease. It should confirm the results of therapy, reflect the state of the lung tissue, possible changes caused by pneumonia.

The patient is given a complete treatment, after which he undergoes a rehabilitation course on an outpatient basis (at home). Then you should come for a second examination to the doctor.

Conclusion

The patient is recommended to undergo rehabilitation in a sanatorium that specializes in pulmonological diseases. After completing the treatment of pneumonia, the person is registered family doctor 1 year. If during this period there is no relapse, the chronic form of the disease does not appear, tests for the presence of the pathogen will be issued negative results, and there will be no symptoms, pneumonia is defeated.

Bilateral pneumonia of the lungs is considered a rather serious disease, which often becomes the cause. It is found among patients different ages, but most often affects newborns and immunocompromised people. Therefore, the treatment of this disease should be carried out comprehensively in a hospital, which will reduce the risk of undesirable consequences.

What is bilateral pneumonia

Pneumonia is a disease that is accompanied by an inflammatory process in one of the lungs. Data pathological changes can be observed in two parts of the body. That's when they talk about bilateral pneumonia. As a result, a person suffers from severe respiratory failure, which leads to other negative changes in his body.

This disease can develop independently or be a complication of other diseases. pathological conditions provoked by various infections. Despite the achievements modern medicine, a large percentage of patients with bilateral pneumonia do not survive. This is due to their weakened immune system. Therefore, qualified doctors should be engaged in treatment.

Classification of bilateral pneumonia

Bilateral pneumonia can take two forms:

• focal;
• total.

Total pneumonia is rare. With the development of this disease, both lungs and all their tissues are involved in the pathological process. Inflammation develops rapidly, is accompanied by pronounced symptoms and most often leads to a rapid death.

Focal form of bilateral pneumonia is more common. The disease is accompanied by damage to individual sections of the lungs on both sides. In turn, such pneumonia is classified into:

• upper lobe;
• lower lobe;
• polysegmental.

Stages of development of bilateral pneumonia

Bilateral pneumonia develops according to the following plan:

• The tide. The lungs are filled with blood.
• Red bake. Occurs, erythrocytes are found in the alveolar fluid.
• Gray hepatization. There is a breakdown of red cells, the movement of leukocytes into the alveoli.
• Permission. The lungs regain their normal structure.

Possible risk factors

Focal bilateral pneumonia or another type of this disease most often affects people with the following health problems:

Long-term smoking is one of the causes of bilateral pneumonia.

• anomalies in the structure of the lungs, which are congenital in nature;
• heart failure, accompanied by congestion;
• any immunodeficiency states;
• prolonged smoking, overuse alcohol;
• absence of tonsils that were previously removed;
• hypothermia of the body, which reduces its resistance to pathogens;
• chronic diseases of the lungs and bronchi, which provokes pathological changes in tissues;
• the presence of allergies;
• Unhealthy Lifestyle, malnutrition, which leads to a decrease in immunity;
• long stay in a horizontal position.

In children, a risk factor for the development of bilateral pneumonia is the presence of catarrhal diathesis.

Reasons for the development of bilateral pneumonia

The causative agents of total or focal pneumonia are called gram-positive microorganisms. Most often, this disease is provoked by pneumococci (40-60%). In other cases, pneumonia develops against the background of damage to the lung tissue by staphylococci and hemolytic streptococci. Only sometimes enterobacteria, proteus and other microorganisms are referred to as causative agents of inflammation.

If bilateral pneumonia develops primarily, infection occurs by airborne droplets. This rarely occurs, since pneumonia is most often observed against the background of other diseases that affect the respiratory system. The focus of infection may be in the nasopharynx - paranasal sinuses nose, tonsils, oral cavity. Inflammation of the lungs occurs against the background of diseases such as influenza, tonsillitis, SARS, tonsillitis, sinusitis, tuberculosis.

Sometimes a situation is observed when the infection enters the lungs with blood flow from other organs - the kidneys, abdominal cavity, small pelvis. Individuals with severely weakened immune systems develop inflammatory process against the background of active reproduction of conditionally pathogenic microflora.

Bilateral pneumonia also has a non-infectious nature of origin. It develops due to negative impact on the body of the following factors:

• toxic substances;
• ionizing radiation;
• allergens;
• injury and surgical interventions on the chest;
• hit foreign bodies into lung tissue.

Symptoms of the disease

Total or polysegmental bilateral pneumonia is characterized by the presence of such symptoms:

• There is a sharp increase in body temperature. The fever is quite difficult to control with conventional drugs.
• A person complains of a severe headache.
• appear in the chest pain. They increase significantly with deep breaths.
• The patient feels weak and unwell.
• There is shortness of breath even at rest.
• The patient complains of excessive sweating.
• The patient suffers from chills, muscle pain.
• A person's appetite completely disappears.
• Observe tachycardia and signs of intoxication of the body.
• Sometimes there is a separation of sputum with bloody impurities.
• The skin becomes pale and cyanotic, rashes appear.

Bilateral pneumonia refers to acute diseases, that's why characteristic symptoms develops quite quickly. After infection has entered Airways The first signs appear within a few hours. The nature of the development of symptoms depends on the form of the disease and the general condition of the patient.

Diagnostics

The conclusion about the development of the inflammatory process in two lungs is made by the therapist or on the basis of the following signs:

When a patient is diagnosed bilateral inflammation lungs, treatment is carried out using antibiotics and other medications. The thing is that such a lesion of both lungs is a rather dangerous condition, especially if it develops in children or the elderly. The most common cause of bilateral pneumonia is pneumococcus. The extremely aggressive effect of pneumococci causes high mortality of patients, which can reach 20% of all cases.

Characteristic features of the disease

Bilateral pneumonia, which in the vast majority of cases develops against the background of pneumococcal damage to the human body, is an extremely dangerous condition, since in short time leads to the involvement in the inflammatory process of extensive areas of the lung tissue, which are gradually covered with fibrin, which leads to respiratory failure. In addition to pneumococcus, other organisms, including Haemophilus influenzae, chlamydia, streptococcus, staphylococcus, etc., can in rare cases provoke the development of bilateral pneumonia.

Often, against the background of a decrease in local immunity, which is observed when tissues are damaged by pneumococcus, others later join bacterial infections. As a rule, with bilateral lung damage, there is lobar inflammation parenchyma. Bilateral pneumonia in adults and children starts with pronounced symptoms. Symptoms of damage to both lungs include:

• the strongest weakness;
• fever;
• cough;
• sweating;
• general malaise;
• nausea;
• vomit;
• pallor of the skin;
• chills.

The patient's condition is rapidly deteriorating, and asthma attacks can be observed in a short time, which often require hospitalization of a person in the intensive care unit.

How is the therapy carried out?

Treatment of bilateral pneumonia in adults and children should be carried out under the supervision of a pulmonologist, and sometimes a resuscitator, and in most cases in a hospital setting. To confirm the diagnosis, a general blood and sputum analysis, as well as an x-ray of the lungs, is performed. Given that in the first 2-3 days of the course of the disease there is no way to identify the causative agent of the disease, usually as a basis drug treatment strong broad-spectrum antibiotics are used, including:

• cephalosporins 3-4 generations;
• fluoroquinolones.

After receiving the results of sputum analysis, narrow-spectrum antibiotics may be prescribed. Among other things, can be assigned medicines to eliminate symptomatic manifestations, including:

• antipyretic;
• expectorants;
• diuretics if there is a risk of edema;
• immunomodulators;
• inhalants.

When confirming bilateral pneumonia, it is required Special attention on the part of doctors, since the risk of developing various complications is extremely high.

Especially dangerous complication is pulmonary edema and respiratory failure, which can lead to the death of the patient in a short time.

Treatment of bilateral pneumonia in adults through drug therapy, as a rule, takes at least 2 weeks, but for about 1 year the person must be registered in the hospital and undergo preventive fluorography to prevent the transition of the disease to chronic form. Treat folk remedies at home, a disease such as bilateral pneumonia is impossible, not only in children, but also in adults, since such an approach can cause the rapid development of complications and death.

Prevention

In both adults and children, the most in an efficient way prevention of a condition such as bilateral pneumonia is vaccination against pneumococcal infection, which allows you to create strong immunity. Vaccination against pneumococcus is especially important for children. younger age, since in this category the mortality from bilateral pneumonia is extremely high. The defeat of pneumococcus of the lungs often causes the development of extremely severe complications including arthritis, meningitis and purulent otitis media. Vaccination against pneumococcal infection can significantly protect the human body.

Doctors insist that vaccination against pneumococcal infection up to a year is simply necessary, since the development of diseases caused by this microorganism in this category can be fatal. The thing is that bilateral pneumonia caused by pneumococcal infection is extremely difficult in children under 5 years of age and often causes the death of a child. Vaccination against pneumococcus is perhaps the only reliable way to protect the baby's body from this dangerous microorganism.

Vaccines that are used for vaccination can be conditionally divided into protein-conjugated and polysaccharide. As a rule, vaccination is carried out with such drugs as Pneumovax 23, Prevenar and Pneumo 23. All these vaccines are produced in the USA and have passed all the necessary tests both in the country of origin and in Russia.

Despite the fact that the pneumococcal vaccine is very effective, many parents are still afraid to take such vaccinations. The thing is that in about 5% of babies, after being vaccinated against pneumococcus, local reaction, including skin redness and soreness, which may persist for up to 48 hours. In adults, pneumococcal vaccines usually do not cause adverse reactions.

Pneumococcal vaccines are considered safe if they are used as recommended and at the correct time for vaccination. With a successful vaccination, immunity to pneumococcus is developed.