Information
WHAT IS ASPIRATION?
- Aspiration is breathing any foreign matter into the lungs. Aspiration occurs when food or fluid enters the airway (lungs). Food or fluid can be aspirated either on the way down to the stomach or on the way up, such as when vomiting. When aspiration occurs, the lungs recognize the food or fluid as foreign material. Gagging and coughing is a normal response and if the material is coughed out, little or no airway damage occurs.
- Choking is a blockage of the airway, usually caused by a piece of solid food. If the material cannot be dislodged; it can set up a chemical reaction that may lead to pneumonia and even death. The person may be unable to cough, talk or even breathe depending on how much of the airway is blocked. Choking should cause an immediate response from caregivers, an urgent intervention, such as a call to 911 if the blockage cannot be dislodged or a follow up call to the physician reporting the incident if the blockage has dislodged.
REASONS FOR ASPIRATION
- Have uncoordinated swallowing muscles or weakened cough or gag reflexes because of conditions affecting the nerves, such as a stroke, Parkinson’s’ disease or dysphagia. Poor body alignment, person not able to sit upright when eating. If a person must eat or be fed in bed, make sure the head of the bed is raised to at least a 30-45 degree angle. The person should remain seated for 30-45 minutes after eating. Have poor chewing ability, such as: having missing or loose teeth, teeth in poor repair, or poorly fitting crowns, bridges or dentures.
- Have gastroesophogeal reflux disease (GERD/heartburn) which causes stomach contents to flow back into the throat (esophagus). Take medications that make them drowsy or have a medical condition that causes fatigue and weakens the gag and swallowing reflexes. Are fed by caregivers, who may not be familiar with feeding the person and may feed them too rapidly or put too much food in their mouth at one time making swallowing difficult.
- Have decreased lung capacity and lung disease due to chronic respiratory illnesses. These diseases make a person more susceptible to pneumonia. Have a feeding tube. Persons with feeding tubes are at high risk. The persons must be fed in an upright sitting position and remain in an upright position for 30-45 minutes after feeding just as if they were eating orally.
ASPIRATION PNEUMONIA
- Is an inflammation of the lungs and airways to the lungs (bronchial tubes) from breathing in foreign material. Usually food, liquids, vomit or fluids from the mouth gets into the lungs that may lead to a collection of pus in the lungs, an inflammatory reaction and lung infection resulting in PNEUMONIA.
- People who have skeletal malformation, such as those caused by: Cerebral Palsy which refers to a group of disorders that involve loss of movement or loss of other nerve function, Scoliosis which is a curving of the spine away from the middle or sideways , Kyphosis which is a curving of the spine that causes a bowing of the back, which leads to a hunchback or slouching posture, or a bed-bound person who has a higher incidence of aspirating. Can you explain why?
SIGNS AND SYMPTOMS OF ASPIRATION PNEUMONIA
- Bluish discoloration of the skin caused by lack of oxygen
- Chest pain
- Cough: could have foul-smelling sputum containing pus or blood, or greenish sputum.
- Fatigue
- Fever
- Shortness of breath
- Wheezing
- Breath odor
- Excessive sweating
- Swallowing difficulty
COMPLICATIONS OF ASPIRATION PNEUMONIA
- Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS)
- Low blood pressure
- Pneumonia with lung abscess
- Shock
- Spread of infection to the bloodstream (bacteremia which occurs when bacteria enter the bloodstream or sepsis which is a severe illness caused by overwhelming infection of the bloodstream by toxin-producing bacteria)
- Spread of infection to other areas of the body
- Possible death