Decrease Your Risk of Acquiring Pneumonia

Pneumonia is a serious lung infection with life-threatening implications and is a leading cause of death in the United States. In fact, there are more than 5.6 million cases of community-acquired pneumonia in the United States every year.  According to the National Center for Health Statistics, the annual number of deaths resulting from pneumonia is 55,774 or 16.5 deaths per 100,000 of the United States population.

Bacteria, fungi or viruses are responsible for pneumonia.  These organisms typically enter the lung by inhaling droplets from an infected individual when they cough or sneeze. Pneumonia can occur as a secondary infection from a viral upper respiratory infection such as the common cold. The Centers for Disease Control reports individuals most at risk for pneumonia include those who smoke, have had antibiotics or have been hospitalized within the past three months.  In addition, individuals with asthma, lung cancer, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, alcoholism, chronic kidney disease, liver failure, heart failure, malnutrition, human immune deficiency virus, and chronic steroid use are also at risk for acquiring pneumonia.

Classic symptoms of pneumonia include cough, fever, chest pain, shortness of breath and increased respiratory rate.  Additional symptoms of pneumonia may include fatigue, headache, nausea, and vomiting. Severe cases of pneumonia can cause confusion and respiratory failure.

There is a lot you can do to help prevent pneumonia.  If you smoke tobacco, stop. Smoking damages the lung and can cause irreversible lung disease, therefore, increasing the risk of pneumonia.  Get immunized.  Individuals over the age of 65 years and those who are high risk for pneumonia should have a Pneumovax injection. Pneumovax decreases the colonization of deadly bacteria in the nose and throat area, that when aspirated into the lung, can cause pneumonia.  Everyone should be immunized against influenza annually. Influenza vaccine was found to prevent 50-60% of hospitalizations and 80% of deaths in nursing home residents.  The earlier in the season you get your flu shot the longer you will be protected throughout the flu season.

Individuals at risk for pneumonia should work closely with their health care provider to employ health promotion and disease prevention strategies such as immunizations, smoking cessation and cautious use of antibiotics to avoid acquiring pneumonia.  If you have questions regarding your personal risk for pneumonia or think you may have pneumonia, follow-up with your health care provider today.

Written by: Cherese R. Severson, DNP

Cherese Severson, DNP is a Family Medicine provider with the Saint Alphonsus Medical Group, a primary care and specialty physician network of more than 260 medical providers across 40 locations in Idaho and Oregon.  

To schedule an appointment with Cherese Serverson or to find a medical provider near you, call 877-401-DOCS (3627) or visit www.saintalphonsus.org/find-a-physician/ today.