Respiratory failure
Philip Woodrow in Nursing Acutely Ill Adults, 2015
Respiratory tract infections may originate from inhaled pathogens or organisms migrating/translocating from elsewhere in the body (endogenous infection). Traditionally, the lower respiratory tract was believed to be sterile, although recent studies suggest microbes do normally inhabit the lower airways, and that pneumonia results from disruption of the normal ecosystem (Dickson et al., 2014). The respiratory tract has various non-specific immune defences, such as the mucociliary ladder, and secretion of antibacterial substances, such as lysozyme, in saliva. With ill-health, non-specific immunity may be impaired; smoking damages mucociliary function. Pneumonia (‘chest infection’) may be acquired in the community, or within healthcare (HCAI, healthcare-associated infection). Usual incubation time for infection is about 48 hours, so infections occurring after 48 hours in hospital are classified as HCAIs. Although any organism can cause pneumonia, bacteria are usually responsible, so initially broad-spectrum antibiotics are usually prescribed, until sputum can be cultured.
The respiratory system
Laurie K. McCorry, Martin M. Zdanowicz, Cynthia Y. Gonnella in Essentials of Human Physiology and Pathophysiology for Pharmacy and Allied Health, 2019
The majority of upper respiratory tract infections are caused by viruses. The most common viral pathogens for the “common cold” are rhinovirus, parainfluenza virus, respiratory syncytial virus, adenovirus, and coronavirus. Common cold viruses replicate best in the cooler tissues of the upper airways. These viruses tend to have seasonal variations in their peak incidence. They are readily spread from person to person via respiratory secretions, and gain entry to the body through the nasal mucosa, and surfaces of the eye. Common colds are normally self-limiting with symptoms generally lasting less than 1 week. Rhinosinusitis is inflammation of the nasal passages and sinuses. It may be caused by viral or bacterial (most commonly H. influenza, S. pneumoniae). Treatment of rhinosinusitis is mainly symptomatic, but antibiotics may be indicated with serious bacterial infections.
Mechanism of cure
Dinesh Kumar Jain in Homeopathy, 2022
Today we have various examples of drugs that do not prove the homeopathic concept. Antipsychotic drugs like chlorpromazine and thioridazine are useful in schizophrenia, but when these drugs are given to healthy individuals they never produce symptoms of schizophrenia. Similarly, antidepressant drugs like imipramine and amitriptyline used in depression never produce depression in healthy persons. Antacids are used in hyperacidity, and these drugs never produce hyperacidity in healthy individuals. Various antibiotics like ampicillin and erythromycins are used in respiratory tract infections, but they never develop symptoms of respiratory infections in healthy people. Similarly, there are various examples that prove that homeopathic concepts given above are wrong. Antileprosy drugs cure leprosy, but never produce leprosy in healthy persons. Antitubercular drugs cure tuberculosis but never produce the symptoms of tuberculosis when given to a healthy person. Antihypertensive drugs never produce hypertensive states when given to a healthy body. Drugs used in pain like brufen never produce pain in healthy humans.
Value of combined detection of serum amyloid A, C-reactive protein and procalcitonin in differential diagnosis of respiratory tract infection in children of China
Published in Annals of Medicine, 2022
Hailun Yin, Songming Mo
Respiratory tract infections are a common respiratory illness, occurring at the turn of the season, especially in children. The clinical features of respiratory infections in children often include cough, runny nose and fever, which if left untreated may prone to develop into lower respiratory tract infection, even causing nephritis, myocarditis, sepsis, rheumatic fever, etc [8]. If the disease cannot be a timely and effective control, the continuous progress of the disease may lead to sepsis, multiple organ failure and septic shock, and even endanger the lives of children [9]. Therefore, timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment are essential for the management of respiratory tract infections. However, conventional culture tests for respiratory tract infections are long, have a low positive diagnosis rate and are of low clinical value. Hence, the search for more accurate and specific tests is of great clinical importance for early and accurate and effective treatment of the disease. In addition, in China, antibiotics are the mainstay of treatment for respiratory tract infections in children. However, antibiotic therapy is not effective for non-bacterial infections and respiratory infections caused by viruses. If antibiotic treatment is applied blindly without a clear diagnosis of the pathogen, it is more likely to increase the risk of dual infection. Therefore, early diagnosis of the disease also plays an important role in determining the type of infection, avoiding the misuse of antibiotics and reducing the incidence of drug resistance.
Neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio: an accurate method for diagnosing infection in cirrhosis
Published in Postgraduate Medicine, 2021
Rui De Sousa Magalhães, Joana Magalhães, Bernardo Sousa-Pinto, Tiago Cúrdia Gonçalves, Bruno Rosa, José Cotter
We compared the NLR among patients with and without infection. In fact, our main outcome consisted in the occurrence of any infection confirmed clinically and by means of the necessary auxiliary complementary exams. In particular, SBP was diagnosed when the polymorphonuclear count on ascitic fluid was over 250 cells/mm.3 Urinary tract infection was assumed when urinary white blood cell count >10 cells per high-power field (pyouria) plus 103 colony-forming bacterial units or when urine culture revealed over 106 colony-forming bacterial units. Respiratory tract infection was diagnosed according to the clinic and radiographic analysis. Bacteremia was diagnosed when a blood culture was positive with no evidence of the source of infection. Culture blood samples were taken when needed [3,20,21]. We performed sub-analyses assessing separately hospital-acquired and community infections. Hospital-acquired infections were defined as those diagnosed 48 h or more after hospital admission [20].
Neurological manifestations of COVID-19: a systematic review and detailed comprehension
Published in International Journal of Neuroscience, 2023
Zeina Hassan Ousseiran, Youssef Fares, Wafaa Takash Chamoun
COVID-19 transmission can occur by either direct mode from covid-19 positive human to human transmission through respiratory droplets or indirect mode from contaminated surfaces and objects and airborne contagions to humans [5]. Disease presentation ranges from asymptomatic (in rare cases) to severe pneumonia and death [6]. The symptoms of this pandemic disease range from mild to moderate in most cases, and sometimes severe with high death risk especially in elderly people and those suffering from chronic diseases such as cancer, diabetes, hypertension, chronic obstructive pulmonary diseases and others. The most common symptoms identified include lower respiratory tract infection, pneumonia, dry cough, fever, shortness of breath and myalgia; other symptoms may occur but less frequently reported including confusion, sore throat, hemoptysis, runny nose, chills, chest pain, rhinorrhea, and diarrhea with nausea and vomiting [4].
Related Knowledge Centers
- Cricoid Cartilage
- Glottis
- Paranasal Sinuses
- Pneumonia
- Respiratory Tract
- Upper Respiratory Tract Infection
- Common Cold
- Infection
- Lower Respiratory Tract Infection
- Nose