Pneumonia can be classified in different ways depending on its nature and causes. While some people may develop this disease after receiving a bacterial infection or interacting with a sick individual, others acquire it as a result of personal health factors. ND’s illness can be described as healthcare-associated pneumonia. This classification describes infections that emerge prior to the hospitalization of patients with different risk circumstances (Banasik, 2018). Therefore, this type of pneumonia applies to ND since she suffers from coronary artery disease, rheumatoid arthritis, hypertension, and chronic bronchitis. Moreover, she was a smoker for 52 years, does not treat her cough properly, spends most of her time in bed, and refuses to eat and drink.
It should be stated that all health problems contributed to a quick deterioration of ND’s health and influenced the development of pneumonia. However, the most probable cause of this disease is chronic bronchitis. This condition is described as the inflammation of bronchial tubes that carry the air to and from the lungs (Banasik, 2018). For this reason, chronic bronchitis makes it harder to clean these organs from infections and bacteria (Banasik, 2018). Thus, ND’s bronchitis condition is the primary cause of her pneumonia.
In order to diagnose ND’s pneumonia, it is necessary to collect her medical history and complete several tests that will confirm the disease. Specialists should conduct a laboratory examination of ND’s sputum, which is the substance that is coughed up from the lungs and contains various bacteria (Banasik, 2018). In addition, a chest x-ray should be done to investigate the parts of ND’s lungs that are affected by pneumonia. This test will help get a clear picture of the patient’s organs and decide on the most effective treatment method.
Reference
Banasik, J. (2018). Pathophysiology (6th ed.). Saunders.