Peer Responses: Length: A minimum of 275 words per post, not including reference

Peer Responses:
Length: A minimum of 275 words per post, not including references
Citations: At least one high-level scholarly reference in APA per post from within the last 5 years
Causes of Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an infection of the lungs and is caused by various pathogens. The most common causes of pneumonia are bacteria, viruses, and fungi. S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, and Moraxella catarrhalis commonly cause bacterial pneumonia (Jain & Bhardwaj, 2019). Viral pneumonia is usually caused by the influenza virus but can also be caused by other viruses, such as the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). Fungal pneumonia is generally caused by the fungi Pneumocystis jirovecii, Histoplasma capsulatum, and Coccidioides immitis.
Treatment Comparison
The treatment for pneumonia in a 23-year-old otherwise healthy patient would differ from a 66-year-old diabetic COPD patient primarily due to the different risk factors and underlying health conditions present in each patient. The 23-year-old patient is typically at lower risk for complications related to pneumonia due to their young age and healthy lifestyle. Therefore, they may be treated with oral antibiotics and may not require hospitalization. On the other hand, 66-year-old diabetic COPD patients may be at higher risk for complications due to their age and underlying health conditions. They may require hospitalization and be treated with intravenous antibiotics (Edelman & Kudzma, 2021). The antibiotics used for treating pneumonia in each patient may also differ depending on the type of bacteria causing the infection and the patient’s overall health. For example, a 23-year-old otherwise healthy patient may be prescribed penicillin or a macrolide antibiotic to treat bacterial pneumonia. In contrast, a 66-year-old diabetic COPD patient may need a more potent antibiotic such as fluoroquinolone or carbapenem. Sometimes, a combination of antibiotics may be required to treat the infection.
Determination for Hospitalization
When determining if a patient needs to be hospitalized for pneumonia, a physician will consider the patient’s age, underlying health conditions, and the severity of the infection. Factors such as difficulty breathing, a high fever, confusion, and chest pain may indicate a need for hospitalization (Hu et al., 2022). Additionally, immunocompromised patients or have other underlying medical conditions may require hospitalization, even if the infection is mild. Ultimately, a physician should decide whether or not to hospitalize a patient for pneumonia on a case-by-case basis.
References
Edelman, C., & Kudzma, E. C. (2021). Health promotion throughout the life span-e-book. Elsevier Health Sciences.
Hu, Y., Han, Y., Yu, C., Guo, Y., Pei, P., Yang, L., … & Li, L. (2022). The hospitalization burden of all-cause pneumonia in China: A population-based study, 2009–2017. The Lancet Regional Health–Western Pacific, 22.https://doi.org/10.1016/j.lanwpc.2022.100443
Jain, V., & Bhardwaj, A. (2019). Pneumonia Pathology. Nih.gov; StatPearls Publishing. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK526116/