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Hospital-acquired pneumonia

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Hospital-acquired pneumonia Respiratory system

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Hospital-acquired pneumonia

Definition:

Hospital-acquired pneumonia is an infection of the lungs contracted during a hospital stay.

Alternative Names:
Nosocomial pneumonia

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Causes, incidence, and risk factors:

Pneumonia is a very common illness. It is caused by many different germs and can range in seriousness from mild to life-threatening. Hospital-acquired pneumonia tends to be more serious, because a patient's defense mechanisms against infection are often impaired during a hospital stay. In addition, the types of germs present in a hospital are frequently more dangerous than those encountered in the community.

Risk factors for hospital-acquired pneumonia include alcoholism, older age, immunosuppression from medications or disease, recent illness, and aspiration (inhaling material into the lungs).

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