Pneumonia: It’s the main cause of death for many COVID-19 patients

Mar 06, 2022 Dr Zulfikar Bux, Features / Columnists

By Dr. Zulfikar Bux
Emergency Medicine Specialist

Kaieteur News – One of the cruelest ways to die is to slowly suffocate from lung damage from COVID-19. Often, this lung damage is because of the pneumonia caused by this dreaded disease. Almost half of COVID-19 deaths are because of respiratory failure with many often being because of pneumonia. Pneumonia is not specific to COVID-19 and can be caused by many other infections. Understanding what pneumonia is can be helpful given that early treatment can sometimes mean the difference between life and death.
What is pneumonia?
Pneumonia is often caused by an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs. The air sacs may fill with fluid or pus (purulent material), causing cough with phlegm or pus, fever, chills, and difficulty breathing. This leads to blocked air sacs where oxygen cannot pass through, causing the affected person to struggle to breathe. A variety of organisms, including bacteria, viruses and fungi, can cause pneumonia. In Guyana, it becomes more prevalent during the rainy season and therefore we should try to have a better understanding of it given that the rains have just started.
What causes pneumonia?
Many germs can cause pneumonia. The most common are bacteria and viruses in the air we breathe. Your body usually prevents these germs from infecting your lungs. But sometimes these germs can overpower your immune system, even if your health is generally good. In the case of COVID-19, the coronavirus (Sars-Cov-2) is the germ that’s responsible for overpowering the immune system and causing pneumonia.
What are symptoms of pneumonia?
The signs and symptoms of pneumonia vary from mild to severe, depending on factors such as the type of germ causing the infection, and your age and overall health. Mild signs and symptoms often are similar to those of a cold or flu, but they last longer. Signs and symptoms of pneumonia may include:
● Fever, sweating and shaking chills
● Cough, which may produce phlegm
● Chest pain when you breathe or cough
● Shortness of breath
● Fatigue
● Nausea, vomiting or diarrhea
Newborns and infants may not show any sign of the infection. They may vomit, have a fever and cough, appear restless or tired and without energy, or have difficulty breathing and eating.
Who’s more at risk?
Those with any of the following conditions are more at risk for acquiring pneumonia:
● a weakened immune system, either due to disease such as HIV/AIDS or cancer, or to medications that suppress immune function
● infants and children 2 years of age or younger
● age 65 and older
● having a chronic disease such as cystic fibrosis, COPD, sickle cell anemia, asthma, heart disease, or diabetes
● swallowing or coughing problems, as may occur following stroke or other brain injury
● Persons that are malnourished
● Cigarette smoking – especially chronic smokers
How is pneumonia treated?
The treatment of pneumonia depends on the cause, the severity of the disease and the doctors’ findings. Symptomatic treatment along with appropriate antibiotic therapy is the mainstay of pneumonia treatment. This should only be decided by a doctor and you should not attempt to take antibiotics on your own. Sometimes –as in the case of COVID-19 – your body cannot fight off the pneumonia and you may need hospitalisation to receive oxygen and if it gets worse, you may have to be placed on a ventilator that helps you to breathe.
When should you visit a doctor?
See your doctor if you have difficulty breathing, chest pain, persistent fever of 102 F (39 C) or higher or persistent cough, especially if you’re coughing up yellow sputum. Individuals with any of the previously listed risk factors should visit a doctor if they begin to present with any of the symptoms of pneumonia.
Pneumonia has a death rate that ranges from 5-10 percent and should not be taken lightly. Now that you have a better idea of what pneumonia is, you should not hesitate to visit your doctor if you suspect you are having symptoms of the disease. Accessing early care will allow for timely treatment which will decrease your chances of having severe life-threatening forms of pneumonia.