What makes pneumonia a deadly respiratory disease?

Image source: health.harvard.edu
Most people do not perceive pneumonia as a deadly disease, but statistics prove otherwise. Often, pneumonia can be the complication that pushes a patient to the limit. According to Lisa M. Cannon, M.D., pneumonia can introduce complications that can be hard to spot but produce deadly effects. Here are some examples of these complications.

Septic shock: Bacteria-caused pneumonia can sometimes enter the bloodstream, especially if treatments were ignored. This condition is called Bacteremia, which can lead to septic shock. Septic shock occurs as a reaction to an infection in the blood, which causes a person’s blood pressure to drop down to dangerous levels. It can starve a person’s organs of blood and force them to stop functioning altogether.

Kidney failure: When a person’s kidneys don’t get enough blood, it can lead to kidney failure. Bacteremia or septic shock can cause this as it could prevent a person’s heart from pumping enough blood to a person’s organs. Odds of kidney failure increases for patients who are suffering from other medical conditions other than pneumonia.

Image source: healthline.com
Respiratory failure: People who suffer from pneumonia can sometimes have fluid build-up in their lungs. This can prevent the lungs from transferring oxygen to the blood, as well as remove carbon dioxide in the blood. If left untreated, this can affect all organs and lead to death.

Accomplished physician Lisa M. Cannon, M.D. , graduated with a degree in medicine from New York Medical College and earned her fellowship in pulmonary, critical care, and sleep medicine from the renowned Mount Sinai Hospital in New York. To read more about pulmonary health, visit this website.

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