Internal Medicine

Delayed pneumonia

Definition - What is Carried Pneumonia?

If pneumonia is not treated properly, the disease will not heal completely and the result will be pneumonia that is dragged on. This is a dangerous clinical picture that can lead to serious complications and, in the worst case, even be fatal. These risks are often not known to those affected and the disease is underestimated. Acute pneumonia is usually over after two to three weeks; if pneumonia is delayed, the symptoms persist much longer.

Therapy for postponed pneumonia

In most cases, pneumonia that is dragged on is caused by bacteria. Therefore, the therapy of first choice is the administration of suitable antibiotics. Usually the doctor prescribes the medication without recognizing the exact pathogen, since a quick start of treatment is absolutely crucial. These are so-called broad-spectrum antibiotics, which are effective against the conventional pathogens of pneumonia and are therefore very likely also suitable for the current germ.

If the course is severe or if the medication does not respond properly, hospitalization may be necessary. Even high-risk patients, such as people with comorbidities or people over 65 years of age, are admitted directly to the hospital and treated there, as the risk is increased here. In such cases, the pneumonia pathogen is diagnosed and a suitable antibiotic is administered via an infusion.

The medication usually lasts five to seven days. In the event of a complication, such as an inflammation of the heart muscle or a brain abscess, the treatment is more complex and therefore more time-consuming.

For more information, read on here: The therapy of pneumonia.

These symptoms tell me that pneumonia has been delayed

A delayed pneumonia becomes noticeable through symptoms that persist for several weeks. Those affected have a fever, persistent cough, and yellow-greenish secretions when coughing, which are expelled from the bronchi. Chest pain and a faster pulse are also typical of pneumonia. The symptoms usually resemble a severe cold, which is why patients often act too late and seek medical attention.

In people with a weakened immune system or the elderly, pneumonia can quickly lead to serious complications. For example, the infection can spread to the neighboring heart and trigger myocarditis there.

You can also read more information under: Symptoms of pneumonia

Myocarditis

Inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis) is a life-threatening complication of delayed pneumonia. The pathogens spread in the body and attack the heart muscles, which means that the heart can no longer pump efficiently.

The result is cardiac arrhythmias ("heart stumbling") and chest pain. Affected patients feel exhausted and tired. Then there are the symptoms of postponed pneumonia. Myocarditis must be treated quickly, as in the worst case it can lead to cardiac arrest and death.

Read more on this topic at:

Inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis)
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Course of a delayed pneumonia

The course of a delayed pneumonia is significantly longer and more serious than an acute illness. Simple pneumonia heals completely after three weeks at the latest. If, on the other hand, the disease is dragged on, those affected suffer from the symptoms for a very long time, which do not improve over time, but rather get worse and worse.

Read more on this topic at: Pneumonia

Causes of a long-haul pneumonia

Delayed pneumonia occurs when an acute respiratory disease has not been completely cured. Pneumonia is usually caused by bacteria and needs to be treated with antibiotics as soon as possible. Often the sick do not know that they have pneumonia and mistake the symptoms for a harmless cold.

As a result, the pneumonia is not treated at all or only after a delay with the right medication. It is often too late by then and those affected suffer from protracted pneumonia despite treatment. Pneumonia cannot heal completely even if the sick person exercises physical strain too early and does not comply with the closed period despite appropriate drug treatment.

You might also be interested in this article: Causes of Pneumonia

Duration and forecast

A delayed pneumonia lasts considerably longer than normal pneumonia, which is usually cured after a few weeks. If the infection is dragged on, those affected suffer for more than three weeks from the symptoms, which hardly improve in the course of the disease without appropriate treatment.

The prognosis depends on the stage of the infection at which drug therapy is given. To avoid serious consequences, those affected should consult a doctor as soon as possible if symptoms persist or worsen.

Read more about this in our article: How long does pneumonia last

Consequences of postponed pneumonia

If the treatment was not carried out or was only inadequate, the bacteria can multiply unhindered in the body and spread from the lungs to other organs. This can lead to serious complications. In the worst case, pneumonia that is delayed can even be fatal.

Possible consequences of delayed pneumonia are lung abscesses, pleurisy or fluid accumulation in the lungs (pleural effusion). People feel exhausted and have difficulty breathing. From the lungs, the inflammation can spread to the heart, causing dangerous inflammation of the heart muscle (myocarditis).

If the bacteria get into the bloodstream, they can quickly spread throughout the body. This often leads to blood poisoning (sepsis). Sepsis is a serious disease that needs to be treated quickly, otherwise multiple organ failure and death can result.

In order to avoid such complications, a doctor should be consulted if the symptoms persist and effective treatment should be started as soon as possible.

Further information on this topic can be found at: Consequences of pneumonia

How contagious is that?

If pneumonia is delayed, there are still living bacteria in the body that multiply and spread throughout the body. For this reason, delayed pneumonia is just as contagious as acute pneumonia. The pathogens are transmitted to other people via a droplet infection and affect their throat and pharynx.

However, not everyone who comes into contact with the germs actually gets pneumonia. Children, the elderly and people with a weakened immune system or concomitant diseases are particularly at risk and have an increased risk of infection.

Read about it too: How contagious is pneumonia?

Diagnosis of postponed pneumonia

Delayed pneumonia is diagnosed by a doctor by first asking specific questions about the existing symptoms. A physical examination is then carried out, which usually reveals pathological changes in the lungs. This is followed by a blood sample, whereby increased inflammation values are found in the subsequent laboratory examination. If there is suspicion of delayed pneumonia, an X-ray of the chest is made, with which the disease can be clearly diagnosed.

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X-ray image

If pneumonia is suspected, a chest x-ray must always be taken. As standard, the images are taken from the front and the side (chest X-ray in two planes).

A delayed pneumonia shows up in the X-ray image through extensive shading of the lungs. Immigration of immune cells into the lung tissue leads to the formation of an infiltrate due to inflammation. This accumulation of fluid can be seen well on the X-ray and indicates pneumonia.

If a delayed pneumonia is survived untreated, scarred changes in the lung tissue often remain, which can be clearly seen on x-rays.

Further information