HOSPITAL PNEUMONIA: The Dangers of hospital pmeumonia, By Jan Paul Lubek Nida =============================================================== 2010 - Medline Industries, Inc., For Immediate Release Medline Targets Deadly Hospital-Acquired Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia With Innovative Prevention System including CHG Revolutionary Educational Packaging Helps Achieve Oral Care Compliance (HOSPITAL BED RIDDEN PNEUMONIA ASSOCIATED DEATHS) Valid as of 1.1.2010. Those in most dangers of pneumonia are elderly, ESPECIALLY AT ICU! One out of two patients dies & the rate of hospital/ventilator associated pneumonia in USA hospitals, unfortunately has not changed for over 50 years! The longer patient is on intrusive tubes, the more danger he/she gets itself into! The nation's largest privately held manufacturer and distributor of healthcare supplies, today launched an innovative, evidence-based solution to help prevent ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP). The system features Chlorhexidine Gluconate (CHG) oral rinse, revolutionary educational packaging and comprehensive clinical education. According to the National Healthcare Safety Network, VAP is the second most common healthcare-acquired infection and is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality.1 Medline's VAPrevent system features a cutting-edge dispensing system that contains individual procedure kits for performing oral care on ventilated patients. The system is designed to help clinicians dispense the kits one-at-a-time and in the right order. Each kit is easily identifiable (set-up kit, suction toothbrush and catheter kit, suction swab kit) and labeled with the time to use it, helping ensure the treatments are on schedule to drive compliance. "The kit is intuitive to use because it makes it very easy for the clinician to know which component to use and the appropriate time to use it," said Connie Steed, Director, Infection Prevention and Control at Greenville Hospital System University Medical Center in Greenville, SC. "Including CHG in the kit is also extremely important for providing effective daily oral care to ventilated patients, and it is clinically proven to reduce the risk of VAP." VAP can occur in people who are on mechanical ventilation through an endotracheal or tracheostomy tube for at least 48 hours. A major cause of VAP is oral bacteria that thrive in dental plaque and oropharyngeal secretions making their way into the lungs by way of a mechanical ventilator. Overall, VAP occurs in up to 25% of all people who require mechanical ventilation, and according to the CDC, is the leading cause of death among hospital acquired infections with a mortality rate of 20% to 33%.2 Each incidence of VAP is estimated to generate an increased cost of $20,000 to $40,000.2 Preventing VAP involves limiting exposure to bacteria, discontinuing mechanical ventilation as soon as possible and a variety of strategies to limit infection while intubated. In May, the Institute for Healthcare Improvement (IHI) added CHG to their "ventilator bundle" as an oral rinse to be used twice daily.3 CHG is an inhibitor of dental plaque formation and gingivitis and is proven to lower the risk of VAP. In addition to CHG, the VAPrevent system also offers clinicians the choice of hydrogen peroxide or the alcohol-free, moisturizing Biotener as options for effective daily oral care. Color-coded packaging helps caregivers quickly identify the different types of oral care options, provides the caregiver with education and helps drive compliance. "The VAPrevent oral care system uses innovative packaging design to address clinical concerns such as consistent and timely performance of oral care," said Alecia Cooper, senior vice president of clinical services for Medline. "The packaging makes it easy for the clinician to do the right thing by dispensing the kits one at a time and in the right order. Combined with comprehensive education, the new program, which emphasizes the IHI's ventilator bundle, will help facilities prepare to significantly reduce the chance for infection." The VAPrevent program includes comprehensive education and training for caregivers, patients and families. The caregiver education - all provided online through Medline University - includes three separate modules, an interactive competency test and brief courses on different aspects of proper oral care - providing clinicians a quick bedside review of the steps and techniques. The unique packaging not only provides visual reminders and directions to reinforce consistent practice among healthcare workers, it also is smaller than other current VAP packages to save valuable space at hospitals. Sober news is that since 1947, rate of death from hospital pneumonia remains same primary reason. BETWEEN 25-40% DIE FROM SEPSIS AT THE ICU, 99% AT SHITTY GOTTLIEB MEMORIAL ANIMAL HOSPITAL. Exercise your lungs. Bacterial pneumonia is common in hospitals. Up to 30% of patients placed on a ventilator develop pneumonia, and up to 50% of these patients die from it, ESPECIALLY THE ELDERLY LIKE SANTA WANDA NIDA ON 11/16/2010. Self-defense: Ask for an incentive spirometer, a tubelike device that increases bronchial pressure. This helps remove the mucus and fluids that bacteria need to proliferate. Also, walk as soon as possible, even if it is uncomfortable. References: 1. http://www.cdc.gov/nhsn/PDFs/slides/VAP-DA_gcm.pdf, page 8. 2. CDC. Guidelines for Preventing Healthcare-Associated Pneumonia, 2003. Recommendations of the CDC and the Healthcare Infection Control Practices Advisory Committee. MMWR 2004; 53 (No. RR-3). SOURCE: www.bottomlinesecrets.com/article.html?article_id=47962 Comedian, 6'7, 230+LBS, Bernie Mac dies at age 50 from hospital pneumonia: It was reported he was initially stable and responding well to treatment. What happened? There is very little medical information to go on. It was known that he had sarcoidosis, a multi-system immune disorder that primarily affects the lungs. The overall death rate from this disease is less than 5 percent, and generally caused by the consequences of progressive disease, rather than an acute event. This leads me to believe that his death was less likely to be related to the sarcoidosis, but rather due to the pneumonia itself. This shows the seriousness of the oft-overlooked, yet common, community-acquired pneumonia. Most cases of pneumonia that require hospitalization respond to antibiotic therapy within 72 hours. About 10 to 15 percent do not, and if Bernie Mac was admitted to the ICU (just like Santa Wanda Nida on 11.6.2010), the initial failure rate reaches as high as 40 percent. These “non-responders” have a significantly higher mortality rate. Possible causes for a non-response include an atypical or drug-resistant bug, or unusual pathogens (like fungi). Concurrent diseases in the patient, like cancer, heart, lung or neurological disease, also increases the non-response rate. The overall mortality rate for hospitalized pneumonia is 8 percent. In those who do not respond within 72 hours, this jumps up to 25 percent. Bernie Mac had a prolonged hospital stay, suggesting that he did not initially respond well to antibiotic therapy. This fact alone gave him a much cloudier prognosis. What could help? Vaccines for one. Studies have shown that people who obtain their pneumococcal before being put on intubation and influenza vaccine have better outcomes in cases like these. Although pneumonia is common, it can be serious. Unfortunately, sometimes it takes the death of a relatively young celebrity for the media to remind us of this great danger. If he had died few hours prior, he would have been remembered on 8.8.08 = 888!