Vaccination can prevent adult pneumonia

As per the last Global Burden of Disease estimates, 2.6 million people lost their lives to pneumonia in 2017. While concerted efforts are being made towards reducing the deaths among children, many countries, including India, are struggling with increasing incidence of deaths among adults due to pneumonia. Pneumonia is a leading infectious disease killer and while a lot of light has been shed on pneumonia among children under the age of five, the focus and awareness remains limited about pneumonia in adults. 

Pneumonia, is essentially a lung infection which leads to the inflammation of the lungs air sacs. It can be caused by viruses, bacteria or fungi; the air sacs present in the lungs are filled with either pus or fluids leading to their inflammation. Pneumonia can affect both children & adults yet more often than not adults fail to recognise the symptoms of pneumonia as it can easily be mistaken for a flu. 

The symptoms of pneumonia can sometimes be so mild that one can barely notice them and sometimes they can be so severe that one might need hospitalisation. Some of the common symptoms of pneumonia are cough (with greenish, yellowish or bloody mucus), fever, sweating, shaking skills, shallow breathing, chest pain, loss of appetite and confusion among the elderly. India has the highest mortality and morbidity due to Invasive Pneumococcal Disease (IPD) among adults aged more than 50 years. It then becomes important for adults to be aware of the symptoms so that they can detect it early on and take necessary actions. 

Once diagnosed, it is recommended that the patients strictly adhere to the treatment plan suggested by the doctor for proper recovery. While managing the disease is essential, it is more important to bear in mind that pneumonia is preventable. Getting a pneumococcal vaccine is one of the most effective ways to reduce the risk of contracting pneumonia.
Vaccination protects an individual against pneumococcal bacteria and reduces the chances of contracting the disease. It has been associated with improved survival rates, minimal risk of respiratory failure and other severe complications and in case of adults hospitalized for community-acquired pneumonia, shorter in-patient stays. This type of vaccine is effective in preventing not only the invasive pneumococcal disease and but also other forms of pneumococcal disease, including presumptive pneumococcal pneumonia.


It is a fact that among adults, it is the elderly who are the most vulnerable. However, besides the elderly, there are other groups who are at high-risk of contracting this infectious disease. These are people with chronic conditions like diabetes and COPD, smokers and malnourished adults. The vaccination is highly recommended for individuals in these high-risk groups.

Pneumonia among adults is a huge health burden in the country. Vaccination of the adult population needs to be a key component of a healthy aging strategy, since there is already convincing evidence that this approach can have an important impact on morbidity, mortality and quality of life.

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EVERYTHING YOU WANT TO KNOW ABOUT COPD( CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE PULMONARY DISORDER)

COPD typically refers to two lung diseases – chronic bronchitis and emphysema. A person with COPD may have one or the other, but most people with COPD have both.

Chronic bronchitis is the inflammation of the bronchial tubes. Over time this leads to changes in the airway lining, which leads to excess mucus production and chronic cough. Emphysema is the irreversible breakdown of the walls of the lungs’ air sacs. As a result, the lungs lose elasticity and their capacity to exchange oxygen to the bloodstream for carbon dioxide. COPD also adds to the work of the heart.

Because COPD often progresses slowly, many people don't realize they have a problem. Also, they may blame their breathlessness or coughing on the aging process and think their condition is normal for someone who is getting older. And people adjust their daily routine to reduce or avoid activities that leave them breathless.

Early diagnosis and treatment is the most likely way to preserve lung function.

Early warning signs of COPD vary, but among the most common are:

• An increased amount of sputum coughed up from the lungs
• Shortness of breath during activity
• Chronic coughing

It is possible to have both COPD and asthma, and the diseases share several characteristics. Many people with COPD also suffer from asthma, but most people with asthma do not have COPD.

One difference between the two is that asthma sufferers can be nearly free of symptoms between exacerbations with proper treatment. Also, the symptoms of asthma – wheezing, shortness of breath, cough – are usually caused by obvious triggers, such as allergens, cold air, or exercise. Onset of asthma generally occurs in younger non-smokers, while COPD is more often linked to older age and smoking. Airway obstruction with asthma is typically reversible, while people with COPD develop permanent lung damage that progresses over time.

Although COPD is not curable, the symptoms can be treated and your quality of life can improve. Factors include how well your lungs are functioning and how well you follow your treatment program and respond to it. It is possible to feel better, stay active, and slow the progression of the disease.

The muscles used in breathing may burn up to 10 times more calories for a person of average weight with COPD than for a person without COPD. Also, if you are overweight, your heart and lungs have to work even harder to breathe properly. If you are underweight, you are more susceptible to complications from illnesses. Maintaining proper weight and achieving good nutrition are important to coping with COPD.

In COPD, less air flows in your lungs' airways for one or more of the following reasons:

• Bronchial tubes become inflamed and thickened.
• Your airways are clogged with mucus.
• Walls between your lungs' air sacs are destroyed, causing them to lose elasticity and lessen the exchange of oxygen/carbon dioxide.

COPD is diagnosed most often in people who are over 45. The CDC reports that 11% of men and 10% of women aged 75-84 had COPD in 2007-2009, compared to 2% of men and 4% for women aged 25-44.

Quitting smoking is the single most effective way to slow the progression of COPD or reduce the risk of developing it. If you quit smoking, you can stop or slow down further damage to your lungs.

The flu can cause serious problems for people with COPD, so they should get a flu shot every year. People with COPD are also at greater risk for pneumococcal disease, including pneumonia, so talk to your health care provider about getting the pneumococcal "pneumonia" vaccine.

There is no cure for COPD, but there are effective treatments, and you can make lifestyle changes that can improve the symptoms and slow the disease. Pulmonary rehabilitation involves exercise, education about nutritional needs, and sometimes psychological counseling. Your health care provider also may prescribe inhaler medicines to relax your airways and make breathing easier. If you have severe COPD, you may require the use of supplemental oxygen.

When your COPD gets suddenly worse, it's known as an exacerbation. Common signs are wheezing, increased cough or shortness of breath, shallow or rapid breathing, increased heart rate or temperature, and a change in the color of your mucus. People with COPD may experience one or two exacerbations each year, and they will worsen as the disease progresses. Talk to your health care provider about a plan for treating exacerbations.

ps- this is only for information, always consult you physician before having any particular food/ medication/exercise/other remedies.

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