Hospital-acquired pneumonia
Alternate Names : Nosocomial pneumonia, Ventilator-associated pneumonia
Treatment
Treatment aims to cure the infection with antibiotics. An antibiotic is chosen based on the specific germ found by sputum culture. However, the bacteria cannot always be identified with tests. Antibiotic therapy is given to fight the most common bacteria that infect hospitalized patients -- Staphylococcus aureus and gram-negative bacteria.
Supportive treatment includes: - Oxygen
- Lung treatments to loosen and remove thick mucus from the lungs
Prognosis (Expectations)
Most patients respond to treatment and improve within 2 weeks. However, hospital-acquired pneumonia can be very severe and sometimes life-threatening.
Complications
Elderly or very weak patients who do not respond to treatment may die from acute respiratory failure caused by the pneumonia.
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