Pneumonia is a respiratory disease that affects lung tissue and disrupts normal metabolism. The exudate that forms does not allow the alveoli to process regular amounts of oxygen, so respiratory failure often develops. A defining feature of pneumonia is the presence of intra-alveolar exudate with the obligatory clinically pronounced fever and intoxication due to bacterial and/or viral infection (Kallet et al., 2018). Anatomical organs affected by inflammation are the lungs, alveoli, bloodstream, and adventitious tissues (Quinton et al., 2018). It is also worth noting that the respiratory nerve center, which triggers and mediates protection through an inflammatory process, may also be impaired. In addition, the blood vessels involved, which should transfer oxygen from the lungs to the heart, begin to weaken. As a result, cardiac activity becomes less regular, and tachycardia and arrhythmia develop.
Ventilation of the lungs becomes impaired during pneumonia: Patients often experience shortness of breath. Dyspnea leads to cough with sputum of a mainly mucopurulent nature. Consequently, external respiration takes up a large expenditure of energy and resources in the patient, and their lack can lead to the worsening of the disease (Kallet et al., 2018). Externally, it will be manifested as redness and cyanosis of the nasolabial triangle and swelling of the wings of the nose due to chatty shallow breathing (Quinton et al., 2018). The characteristics of internal breathing will be as follows: fibrinous exudate will accumulate in the alveoli, which will sound like a fine bubbling crackle when listened to. In addition, the rate of exchange of carbon dioxide for oxygen is impaired; the affinity of hemoglobin for O2 drops, and blood flow becomes poor (Kallet et al., 2018). It may also lose filling capacity and volume as the alveoli fail to cope with the exudate entering them. A fluid-filled alveolus becomes a predictor of first respiratory and then cardiac failure.
References
Kallet, R. H., Ho, K., Lipnick, M. S., & Matthay, M. A. (2018). Pulmonary mechanics and gas exchange characteristics in uncommon etiologies of acute respiratory distress syndrome.Journal of thoracic disease, 10(8), 5030–5038.
Quinton, L. J., Walkey, A. J., & Mizgerd, J. P. (2018). Integrative physiology of pneumonia. Physiological Reviews, 98(3), 1417–1464.