Pneumonia bronchodilators

The supportive care of the patient with pneumonia includes the use of humidified oxygen for hypoxemia, fluid resuscitation, administration of bronchodilators when bronchospasm is present, and chest physiotherapy with postural drainage if there is evidence of retained secretions. 

Aerosol - Several serious adverse events occurred in severely ill infants with life-threatening underlying diseases, many of whom required assisted ventilation. Additional reports of worsening of respiratory status, bronchospasm, pulmonary edema, hypoventilation, cyanosis, dyspnea, bacterial pneumonia, pneumothorax, apnea, atelectasis, and ventilator dependence have occurred. Sudden deterioration of respiratory function has been associated with initiation of aerosolized ribavirin use in infants. If ribavirin aerosol treatment produces sudden deterioration of respiratory function, stop treatment and reinstitute only with extreme caution, continuous monitoring, and consideration of coadministration of bronchodilators. 

Viral pneumonia is treated symptomatically with bronchodilators, antipyretics, analgesics, expectorants and mucolytics, and cough suppressants. 

Aerosol preparations of drugs are most commonly used for the treatment of diseases involving airway obstruction, namely bronchodilators and antiinflammatory agents in asthma, bronchitis, and emphysema. Other uses of aerosol therapies include mucolytics (for decreasing the thickness or viscosity of mucus in diseases involving abnormal mucus secretion, e.g., pneumonia,... 

The treatment of community-acquired pneumonia may consist of humidified oxygen for hypoxemia, bronchodilators (albuterol) when bronchospasm is present, rehydration fluids, and chest physiotherapy for marked accumulation of retained respiratory secretions. Antibiotic regimens should be selected based on presumed causative pathogens and pulmonary distribution characteristics and should be adjusted to provide optimal activity against pathogens identified by culture (sputum or blood). 

The inhalation route is used to have the patient inhale the medication using an inhaler. This is a common route used to administer bronchodilators to patients with breathing problems such as asthma, pneumonia, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. 

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