Community Acquired Pneumonia Exam Questions And Answers Graded A+

Community Acquired Pneumonia Exam Questions And Answers Graded A+ Epidemiology Community-Acquired Pneumonia • An estimated 5.6 million cases/year • Estimated total annual cost is $10 billion • 6th leading cause of death in U.S. - #1 cause of death from infectious diseases • Up to 80% of treatment is outpatient • Mortality rate varies - 1-5% outpatient - 12% inpatient - Up to 40% in critically ill/ICU admissions Pathogenesis Community-Acquired Pneumonia • Microorganisms gain access to the lower respiratory tract via: - Inhaled as aerosolized particles - Enter via bloodstream from an extra-pulmonary site of infection - Aspiration of oropharyngeal contents - Commensal bacteria in respiratory tract become pathogenic • When pulmonary defenses are functioning optimally, aspirated organisms are cleared via the mucociliary transport system, coughing, and alveolar macrophages • Factors that promote aspiration include altered MS (stroke, seizure), neuromuscular dz, ETOH and medications • Lung infections w/viruses can suppress antibacterial activity of the lungs by impairing alveolar macrophage fxn and mucociliary clearance • Mucociliary clearance is reduced by diseases, ETOH, and drugs (narcotics) • Defects in cellular and humoral immune function Etiology Community-Acquired Pneumonia • The causative organism is only identified in 30- 50% of cases of CAP • S. pneumoniaeis most common cause • Underlying lung disease (i.e. COPD) -H. influenzae, Moraxella catarrhalis • s/p respiratory viral infxn (i.e. influenza) -S. aureus • Chronic oral steroids/severe underlying