Children, aged prone to pneumonia: Expert

Vijayawada: There has been an alarming rise in pneumonia cases due to change in lifestyle, unhygienic environment, smoking, living in slums and thickly populated areas, says noted pulmonologist Dr MS Gopalakrishna while addressing the health education programme at Vasavya Nursing Home with Dr G Maru in the chair here on Saturday.
Dr Gopalakrishna said that at least one crore people were falling victims to pneumonia every year.

He said the pneumonia was a pulmonary disease and the alveoli in the lungs gets infected resulting in pneumonia.

According to him, one lung or both the lungs might be afflicted by pneumonia and generally the children and the aged are prone to this disease. “Poor resistance power might lead to pneumonia,” he added.

The pulmonologist said that pneumonia was rampant among smokers. “Pneumonia might cause due to bacteria, virus or fungus,” he said.
Pneumonia patients experience high fever and shiver with cold, he said and added that they feel difficulty in breathing.

“They feel pain in the lungs while breathing and coughing,” he said adding that the patient looks very tired and might turn blue at times.
Chest x-ray, blood and sputum tests and bronchoscope tests needed to be conducted to confirm pneumonia, he said.

He suggested complete rest to pneumonia patients and added antibiotics could be used and smoking should be avoided.