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How to Avoid a Dangerous Flu Complication


Katzenfreund

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February 12, 2018

 

More than one out of every 10 deaths in the U.S. during the third week of 2018 was from influenza or pneumonia, according to data released Friday by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

 

Pneumonia, or inflammation of the lungs caused by an infection, is a common flu complication that can result in hospitalization and even death. With flu-related hospitalization rates approaching record numbers, flu and pneumonia deaths are expected to continue to rise over the next few weeks.

 

How Flu Leads to Pneumonia

Flu can cause pneumonia in two ways. First, the influenza virus itself can infect the lungs, causing what’s called viral pneumonia. Second, flu weakens the immune system and damages the lining of the respiratory tract, which can make it easier for certain bacteria to infect the lungs and cause bacterial pneumonia.

 

People most at risk for a serious complication from flu include young children, pregnant women, and older adults, whose immune systems tend to be weaker, as well as people with certain underlying health conditions, such as lung disease, heart disease, blood disorders (such as sickle cell anemia), diabetes, immune-suppressing diseases (such as HIV), or conditions like cancer that require immunosuppressive drugs.

 

For the steps to prevent and diagnose pneumonia, see:

https://www.consumerreports.org/flu/how-to-avoid-a-dangerous-flu-complication/?

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Actually the cause of death of most older people, specially those with chronical organic diseases, is "pneumonia", not necessarily as complication of inluenza.

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