Health Research Institute｜ Elderly people can suffer from aspiration pneumonia and may become very sick due to eating the wrong food, so they need to be careful | am730

“No matter how sharp a knife is, it will get rusty one day.” The health of the elderly is deteriorating day by day. If they have had a stroke, suffered from Alzheimer’s disease or Parkinson’s disease, they are more likely to swallow. When older people eat “wrongly”, food and oral bacteria enter the lungs; or when vomiting occurs, vomitus is accidentally ingested, causing stomach acid to flow into the lungs, which can also cause a severe seizure of appetite. Dr. Li Weiquan, an expert in intensive care, said: “As soon as aspiration pneumonia occurs, it may lead to respiratory failure or sepsis, and the patient may need to enter the intensive care unit .”

Aspiration pneumonia can cause respiratory failure or septicemia

If the patient passes out and becomes “turbid”, since most of the ingested food is gastric juice, gastric acid can flow in. to the lungs and burn the lungs, causing the trachea to narrow, leading to symptoms such as wheezing and wheezing, it can lead to respiratory failure. Dr. Li pointed out: “If a patient’s aspiration pneumonia is caused by bacteria, they will only have symptoms such as cough, phlegm, and fever at first, and then shortness of breath. In severe cases, it can be complicated by septicemia , leading to body organ failure. “When the above situation occurs, the patient must also be treated in the intensive care unit.

Although the patient’s condition is more critical and requires treatment in the intensive care unit, it is not a “one in, one out” situation. Dr Li explained: “The key is to solve the underlying problem of patients being referred to the intensive care unit. If the blood oxygen level is too low, the patient can leave and be transferred to the general ward if the index returns to normal. and stable after treatment.”

Total intravenous nutrition helps avoid secondary aspiration pneumonia

When patients leave the intensive care unit, in addition to maintaining follow-up treatment, they should also contribute to adequate nutrition, because they must have enough physical strength to survive the recovery period. If the patient is unable to eat on his own or is not getting enough food, it may be necessary to introduce nutritional milk through a nasogastric tube. Dr. Li said: “For patients with aspiration pneumonia, the use of a nasogastric tube will not help the risk of recurrence of aspiration pneumonia. At this time, the patient can consider receiving complete intravenous nutrition through intravenous injection.

Home care allows for follow-up treatment without the need for a long hospital stay

Elderly people in the recovery stage are physically weak and have difficulty getting in and out. In addition to staying in the hospital for follow-up treatment, if the patient’s condition is stable, they can also consider home care services. Dr. Li said: “Now not only can oxygen machines, physical therapy, speech therapy, and antibiotic injections be used at home, but total intravenous nutrition is also available, nurses can come to the home patients every day to change nutritional solutions, measure vital signs, measure blood sugar, and monitor weight etc., to understand the patient’s physical and nutritional status, so that the patient does not need to stay in the hospital and can the t -to help the patient go home as soon as possible.”

90-year-old uncle has difficulty swallowing due to depression Although he no longer eats solid food, his family still wants him to have food, so they give him food from time to time. However, my uncle also suffered from bronchiectasis. Later, with the recommendation of the doctor, my uncle moved to receiving complete intravenous nutrition and collaborated with various home care services has decreased significantly in the last three years, and does not need my uncle and his caretakers travel between them more. home and the hospital.

The above information is provided by Dr. Li Weiquan