Pneumonia: classification, diagnosis and nursing management.
This article provides an overview of pneumonia as a high-incidence respiratory disease of varying severity in the 21st century. Many cases are mild to moderate and patients are successfully treated with antibiotics at home and with no lasting damage to the lungs. Vaccinations for influenza and, more recently, pneumococcal infections are becoming widely available for vulnerable groups of people, which will help to reduce the incidence of these diseases. However, pneumonia causes death in more severe cases with atypical forms such as Legionnaires' disease and severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) causing fatal outbreaks.
Dunn
Liz
L
Guy's and St Thomas' Foundation Trust, London. elizabeth.dunn@gstt.sthames.nhs.uk
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003140:Communicable Disease Control; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control; D008991:Monitoring, Physiologic / Q000451:nursing; D024802:Nurse's Role; D010102:Oxygen Inhalation Therapy; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000145:classification / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000451:nursing; D011187:Posture; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D011322:Primary Prevention; D012307:Risk Factors; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D014611:Vaccination
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents