Hypostatic pneumonia: causes and diagnosis

Hypostatic pneumonia is a complex defeat of the respiratory system (bronchus and lungs), which develops in patients bedridden.

General concept of the disease

Lezhachie people are deprived of the opportunity to move normally and even turn from side to side. This causes a deterioration in ventilation and sputum accumulation in the bronchi. However, to cough up her patient simply is not able. As a result of this, inflammation develops in the organs - hypostatic pneumonia.

This pathological condition is considered very dangerous. The fact is that at first it is practically not manifested at all. The patient does not even have anxiety. For effective treatment, timely detection of symptoms is very important.

The causative agent of pathology can be pneumococcus, streptococcus, staphylococcus. It begins to develop in the lower part of the right lung. If the process is two-sided, then it will be difficult to cure it.

Why does the disease occur?

Hypostatic pneumonia in the elderly also occurs often, even if they are not bedridden. Here the cause is a weak contraction of the diaphragm, as well as a deterioration in the elasticity of the lung tissue.

And the risk group includes patients who:

• Chained to bed or their movements are severely limited.
• Are in the postoperative rehabilitation period.
• Have a deformity of the thorax or curvature of the spinal column.
• They are at the last stage of cancer development.
• Suffer from bronchial asthma, hypertension, pulmonary emphysema, cardiosclerosis or atherosclerosis.

Hypostatic pneumonia also develops due to stagnant processes in the small circulatory system.

Stages of development of the disease

Symptomatology of pathology can be manifested as early as the 2-3rd day, and may be absent even a few weeks. At this time the disease continues its development. There are only 3 stages of pneumonia:

1. The first. At this stage, there is a slowdown in the outflow of blood in a small circle of blood circulation. The veins become very crowded, and the small vessels expand and expand. Then there is an alveolar collapse - the cells of the lung tissue are squeezed by capillaries. This stage can already be seen on the radiographic picture. It markedly reduced the transparency of tissues, as well as a vascular pattern.
2. The second. Here, sweat of blood serum from the vessels to the alveoli and stroma occurs. In the picture you can already notice the inflammatory process in the bronchi.
3. The third. At this stage, the swelling of the interstitial tissue occurs, and the scar tissue grows and replaces the normal one.

In bedridden patients, the main complication is hypostatic pneumonia. ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases) assigned her the code J.18.2.

How does the pathology manifest itself?

Hypostatic pneumonia has these symptoms:

• Shortness of breath and hard breathing.
• Febrile state.
• Rapid heartbeat.
• Coughing with blood.
• During listening, wet loud rattles are observed.
• Departure of viscous sputum containing pus.
• Increased sweating and chills.
• Constant slight increase in temperature.
• A person is not able to tolerate any physical activity.

The intensity of the symptoms depends on how long the disease develops.

Features of diagnosis of the disease

Hypostatic pneumonia in elderly recumbent people is very common. To make an accurate diagnosis of the patient should be carefully examined. He is assigned:

1. Listening to the lungs and external examination. If possible, the doctor should ask the patient about his feelings.
2. Chest X-ray, which will show the affected dark areas of the lungs.
3. Biochemical and general blood test.
4. Electrocardiogram.
5. Bronchoscopy.
6. Ultrasound examination of the pleural area.
7. MRI.
8. Laboratory examination of urine and evaluation of blood gas composition.
9. Microscopic analysis of sputum.

Thanks to such an examination, you can put an accurate diagnosis and prescribe effective therapy.

Features of treatment of pathology

Treatment of hypostatic pneumonia is mostly conservative. It provides for the destruction of pathological microflora, elimination of pulmonary edema, as well as restoration of their normal ventilation.

As for medicines, the following drugs are used for the therapy of pneumonia:

• Antibiotics: Ampicillin, Erythromycin, Cefuroxime. Also used is "Augmentin".
• Expectorants: Lazolvan, ACTS, Erespal. The rate of reception of such funds is a month.
• Antioxidant preparations.
• Immunomodulators.
• Preparations for improving metabolic processes in the heart: Trental, Digitalis.
• Diuretics: Furosemide, Hypothiazide.

In addition to medicamental medicines, the patient is prescribed physiotherapeutic procedures: oxygen therapy, inhalation and exercise therapy. Naturally, the treatment of such pathology can not be performed at home.

Use of national recipes

To eliminate pneumonia of this type, folk medicine is used as a supplement to complex treatment. Effectively fighting the disease such recipes:

1. Infusion based on herb thyme. For cooking, you need 2 tablespoons of the crushed raw material, which is filled with half a liter of boiling water. After cooling, the infusion is filtered and used in half a cup. On the day the agent is drunk up to 4 times.
2. To clean the bronchuses, the infusion of dried viburnum is suitable. In a clean thermos should pour 2 tablespoons of berries and pour them a glass of boiling water. The medicine is infused all night. The patient should be given a medication on the pharynx after eating. You can add lime honey to the liquid.
3. Expectoration well improves the broth of dogrose. Use for its preparation can be both dry and fresh berries. Every time it is better to prepare a fresh decoction, since it will be more effective.
4. Excellent effect has lemon or raspberry tea.
5. Sputum also well removes syrup based on the root of elecampane. For cooking you need 2 tbsp. L. Raw materials, which is filled with a glass of boiling water. Further it is necessary to boil the mixture on a small fire for 30 minutes. After cooling, the liquid is filtered. Now it should be added honey, so that the taste is both sweet and bitter. The patient should take this medicine before meals for 2 tbsp. L.

Prognosis and prevention

Hypostatic pneumonia should be detected on time. The main thing is to prevent complications. Otherwise, the prognosis for the development of pathology will be unfavorable. If the treatment was carried out correctly, the patient recovers after 3-4 weeks. Naturally, bilateral hypostatic inflammation is much harder to cure.

Naturally, it is desirable not to allow the development of the disease. Prevention of hypostatic pneumonia involves the implementation of such rules:

1. The air in the room where the patient is lying should have the necessary humidity level.
2. It is advisable to use an orthopedic mattress, which does not lead to deformation of the spine.
3. Nutrition of the patient must be diverse and full. Well, if the products will contain enough vitamins.
4. Useful is a special gymnastics, as well as a massage of the back and chest.
5. The position of the patient's body should be periodically changed.
6. If possible, the patient should be taken to fresh air.

In order to determine in time the onset of the development of pneumonia, you should carefully listen to the patient's breathing. Caution should be rattling and gurgling sounds. It must be remembered that any disease in the elderly is more complex than that of the young, so they must be monitored. Be healthy!