Pneumonia: Diagnosis, Prognosis and Treatment

Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung that affects the alveoli. Its symptoms include chest pain, productive or dry cough, trouble breathing and fever. Pneumonia is caused by certain micro-organisms including virus and bacteria. Certain medications and autoimmune diseases also give rise to pneumonia. Some of its risk factors are cystic fibrosis, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), asthma, diabetes, heart failure, a history of smoking, a poor ability to cough, etc. It is diagnosed on the basis of symptoms and physical examination. The diagnosis can also be done through chest X-rays, blood tests and culture of the sputum. Vaccination also prevents certain types of bacterial and viral pneumonias in children and adults. Complete treatment of pneumonia includes using oral antibiotics, analgesics, proper rest and fluids. This book contains some path-breaking studies in the field of pneumonia. The extensive content of this book provides the readers with a thorough understanding of the conditions. It will serve as a valuable source of reference for graduate and postgraduate students.