Definition:
Eosinophilic pneumonia is a condition in which certain white blood cells accumulate in the lungs, disrupting normal oxygen intake. The condition has many existing types occurring in any age group.
Diagnosis:
Doctors diagnose eosinophilic pneumonia through a patient's symptoms, results of physical examination as well as blood tests and x-rays.
Treatment:
Treatment of eosinophilic pneumonia is effective if its cause is treated. Symptoms of acute and chronic eosinophilic pneumonia on the other hand, are rapidly treated with corticosteroids. Patients may have difficulty breathing, thus may need breathing support to live through the use of a bilevel positive airway pressure machine or a breathing tube and ventilator.
Symptoms and Signs:
Patients may experience breathing difficulty, cough, fever, and nighttime sweating. Acute eosinophilic pneumonia worsens rapidly; the chronic type develops slowly. Patients are usually diagnosed with asthma before their true condition is recognized.
Causes:
Eosinophilic pneumonia may result due to allergic reactions of medicines taken by patients, or their exposure to the environment. The disease may be caused parasitic infections or in relation to the diagnosis of certain types of cancer diagnosed in cancer patients. Acute eosinophilic pneumonia is associated with smoking while the chronic type is not. However, most patients with chronic eosinophilic pneumonia are women, which may be associated with breast cancer.
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