Incidence of Bacterial Pneumonia in Elderly Patients

The present study was carried out in the ABEL GILBER PONTON speciality hospital in the suburbs of the city of Guayaquil with the purpose of determining the incidence of bacterial pneumonia in older adults. This is the most common respiratory infection in humans, to which about 43,859 cases of death are attributed annually, representing 8% in the province of Guayas. Community-acquired pneumonia is an infectious pathology with high morbimortality, especially in the most vulnerable groups such as the elderly where the degree of affection of this pathology is very transcendent due to their condition, as their immune system is more vulnerable and they are exposed to factors that can trigger this pathology, even leading to death if they are not rigorously treated. This problem affects 17% of older adults in the community attended in this hospital, who attend with symptoms such as cough with purulent expectoration, headache, chills, dyspnoea and sometimes loss of wakefulness.

Autorentext

Cesar Almache Arauz Respiratory Therapist President of the Network of Respiratory Therapy Professionals of Ecuador.