Mrs. Yarborough, age 47, who smokes a pack of cigarettes per day, develops fever, chills, dyspnea, and cough productive of yellow-green sputum. Her body temperature is 38.5 C (103.3 F). She has tachypnea, tachycardia, and inspiratory crackles auscultated over her right upper and lower lung. Sputum stain reveals numerous white blood cells and bacteria.
Normal Radiograph (x-ray) Mrs. Yarborough's Radiograph
a. Does the patient have bacterial or viral pneumonia? Explain your answer.
b. What is the pathophysiology of the patient's illness?
c. Wh y is smoking cessation important for this patient to help prevent another episode of pneumonia?

A) The patient have bacterial pneumonia.

To answer this question effectively,let's look at the signs and symptoms the patient is presenting with and the difference between bacterial and viral pneumonia.

SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS; Fever(38.5°c),chills, dyspnea,productive cough of yellow-green sputum,increased respiratory rate(tachypnea),increased pulse rate(tachycardia), inspiratory crackles.

Viral pneumonia always come in mild form and it is always self limiting(goes/resolves on its own) and no exudate is seen on auscultation and even if there is exudate,it is always little.

But in bacterial pneumonia,the cough is always productive(sputum production) as well as fever and chills,there is also exudate in the alveoli which is evident on auscultation.(presence of inspiratory crackles).

So this shows that the patient has bacterial pneumonia because the signs and symptoms she presented is indicative of bacterial pneumonia.

B) Pathophysiology of bacterial pneumonia.

Bacterial pneumonia is a disease of the respiratory system that is characterised by inflammation of the airspaces in the lungs,the lungs itself and lungs tissues.

Bacterial pneumonia can affect one lung or the both lungs or even lobes of the lungs.

Smoking,compromised body immune defense mechanism,prolonged hospitalization and having a chronic disease are some of the factors that

can increase the risk of bacterial pneumonia.

When there is a presence of any of the above mentioned factors,there will be a weakening of the body immune response,smoking for example (cigarettes) weakens the defense mechanism of the upper airways giving room for bacteria to get into that airways and thrive,the presence of these bacteria causes an inflammation,when this inflammation occurs,the white blood cells, exudates,cytokines(proteins that regulate inflammatory response) and the bacteria move into the alveoli of the lungs leading to ventilation perfusion mismatch,this will further lead to impairment in gaseous exchange and then result to a low level of oxygen in the blood.

C) Why is smoking cessation important for this patient to help prevent another episode of pneumonia?

Smoking is very injurious to health,it has a bad effect on almost all the organs and system of the body,it weakens the cilia that helps to keep the respiratory airway free of dirt and mucus so that we can breath freely without any obstruction or irritation.when these cilia is weakened by smoking,it will cause a change in the squamous cells linning the airways,and as well trigger the inflammation of the bronchi,the body will respond to this by producing more mucus.

When all these happens,the upper airway defense mechanism is weakened and pneumonia can set in effortlessly.

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