Pneumonia can be caused by a viral or bacterial infection. However, science says that pneumonia is harder on your body when it is caused by a bacteria. A new study has shown that people who have bacterial pneumonia are more likely to have a stroke, heart attack or die prematurely.
Pneumonia is a type of infection that affects the air sacs of the lungs. The researchers obtained data from a Utah hospital. There were 4,800 patients in the study. They found that 80 percent of the patients had bacterial pneumonia. They found that 34 percent of the patients who had been diagnosed with bacterial pneumonia had complications within 90 days. Only 26 percent of the patients who had been diagnosed with viral pneumonia had complications.
The reason that bacterial pneumonia is more dangerous is because it can cause more inflammation than viral pneumonia. Inflammation is a risk factor for heart disease. Bacteria and viruses also affect the body differently. Viruses enter your cells and cause damage. Bacteria enters your bloodstream and releases toxins.
Bacterial pneumonia can also cause higher fevers, which will cause the body to produce more white blood cells. Unfortunately, doctors are not always able to distinguish between viral and bacterial pneumonia. That is why patients who have viral pneumonia are often treated with antibiotics.
The scientists still recommend that you go to the doctor if you are sick. Even if you have viral pneumonia, you are still at risk for getting complications. They also recommend that doctors give older patients antibiotics even if they believe that the infection is viral.
Older patients have weaker immune systems, so they are more prone to complications. Even if an older patient has a minor infection, they still need to take antibiotics. The antibiotics can prevent the condition from progressing to pneumonia.
