Pneumonia is a disease state in which lung epithelium is inflamed. It is one of the most common illnesses observed in young children as compared to adults. There are various forms of this kind of illness but aspiration form accounts for many preventable cases observed. For this reason, there is a dire need to device ways and means of aspiration pneumonia prevention.
There are various causes of such a lung disease that need to be known and avoided at all cost. In general terms, this disease may be the result of a number of factors including inhalation of vomited substance, food or any other form of viscous fluids. The inhaled substance causes a form of trauma that finally leads to infection and consequently inflammation of lung epithelium.
Although all persons are at risk, others are more predisposed than others because of their health state. Because of this, there is dire need for due diligence in preventing any possible aspiration. Patients in coma, delirium, convulsive disorder or those fed using tubes are but a few examples of predisposed persons.
For patients who are fed with aid of nasal-gastric tubing, a keen insertion procedure is necessary to ensure that the feeding tube ends up in the stomach and not lungs. A verification assessment should be carried out to confirm the position of an inserted tube before it is finally used for the intended purpose. Better still, feeding should be carried out following provided professional standards. Such standards include flow of feeds by aid of gravity alone. This is an exemplary precaution to prevent disease occurrence.
Patients with altered state of mind are equally predisposed and therefore require precautionary measures to prevent aspirating food as well as airway secretions. Positioning is one good way of achieving this objective. Head of bed should be elevated at an angle of 45 degrees and the patient be placed on left lateral position. This limits flow back of stomach content and encourages free drainage of oral secretions.
Use of tracheal tubes is yet another risk factor. The patients involved are on mechanical ventilation and therefore unable to clear their airway of secretions. This therefore implies that healthcare professionals involved in providing services to these patients must take up this role as well. This is achieved by timely and efficient suctioning.
Proper oral care is necessary in preventing aspiration pneumonia among long term care patients. For such patients, this aspect of care may be forgotten till halitosis sets in. Early and timely recognition of such deviation is therefore necessary. Such an occurrence increases number of bacteria in mouth and raises an overall possibility of causing infection in case mouth content finds its way into the airway.
Finally, it is worth noting that prevention is far much better and acceptable that reaction measures. Whenever possible, all identified risk factors must be controlled and or eliminated to limit any chance of developing a disease.
There are various causes of such a lung disease that need to be known and avoided at all cost. In general terms, this disease may be the result of a number of factors including inhalation of vomited substance, food or any other form of viscous fluids. The inhaled substance causes a form of trauma that finally leads to infection and consequently inflammation of lung epithelium.
Although all persons are at risk, others are more predisposed than others because of their health state. Because of this, there is dire need for due diligence in preventing any possible aspiration. Patients in coma, delirium, convulsive disorder or those fed using tubes are but a few examples of predisposed persons.
For patients who are fed with aid of nasal-gastric tubing, a keen insertion procedure is necessary to ensure that the feeding tube ends up in the stomach and not lungs. A verification assessment should be carried out to confirm the position of an inserted tube before it is finally used for the intended purpose. Better still, feeding should be carried out following provided professional standards. Such standards include flow of feeds by aid of gravity alone. This is an exemplary precaution to prevent disease occurrence.
Patients with altered state of mind are equally predisposed and therefore require precautionary measures to prevent aspirating food as well as airway secretions. Positioning is one good way of achieving this objective. Head of bed should be elevated at an angle of 45 degrees and the patient be placed on left lateral position. This limits flow back of stomach content and encourages free drainage of oral secretions.
Use of tracheal tubes is yet another risk factor. The patients involved are on mechanical ventilation and therefore unable to clear their airway of secretions. This therefore implies that healthcare professionals involved in providing services to these patients must take up this role as well. This is achieved by timely and efficient suctioning.
Proper oral care is necessary in preventing aspiration pneumonia among long term care patients. For such patients, this aspect of care may be forgotten till halitosis sets in. Early and timely recognition of such deviation is therefore necessary. Such an occurrence increases number of bacteria in mouth and raises an overall possibility of causing infection in case mouth content finds its way into the airway.
Finally, it is worth noting that prevention is far much better and acceptable that reaction measures. Whenever possible, all identified risk factors must be controlled and or eliminated to limit any chance of developing a disease.
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