Aspiration pneumonia

Aspiration pneumonia is lung infection or inflammation caused by inhaling material from the mouth or stomach. It differs from chemical pneumonitis, which is lung injury from aspirated irritants without infection.

Pulmonary aspiration: Entry of material such as food, liquid, saliva, or stomach contents into the lower respiratory tract. This broader event is the route by which aspiration pneumonia begins.
Community-acquired pneumonia: Pneumonia acquired outside hospitals or long-term care facilities. Aspiration pneumonia is assessed within the broader clinical problem of pneumonia.
Antibiotic therapy: Treatment with medicines that kill bacteria or inhibit their growth. Antibiotics treat bacterial infection when aspiration pneumonia is suspected or confirmed.
Aspiration pneumonitis: Acute lung inflammation caused by inhaling irritating material, commonly acidic stomach contents. The distinction from aspiration pneumonia helps determine whether antibiotics are appropriate.
Oropharyngeal dysphagia: Difficulty transferring food or liquid from the mouth and throat into the esophagus. Impaired swallowing allows oral material to enter the airway.
Chest radiography: Imaging that uses X-rays to show structures within the chest, including lung opacities. A chest radiograph can reveal infiltrates consistent with pneumonia after aspiration.
Swallowing therapy: Clinical exercises and strategies used to improve swallowing safety and efficiency. Therapy can reduce aspiration risk when swallowing dysfunction contributes to illness.
Hospital-acquired pneumonia: Pneumonia that develops at least 48 hours after hospital admission and was not incubating on admission. Its setting and likely pathogens can differ from aspiration pneumonia acquired elsewhere.
Gastroesophageal reflux disease: A chronic condition in which stomach contents reflux into the esophagus and cause troublesome symptoms or complications. Reflux can bring gastric contents upward where they may be aspirated.
Computed tomography of the chest: Cross-sectional X-ray imaging that produces detailed pictures of the chest and lungs. Chest CT can clarify suspected aspiration-related disease when radiographs are inconclusive.

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