What is pneumonia? Why is pneumonia dangerous?

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Multiple Choice

What is pneumonia? Why is pneumonia dangerous?

Pneumonia is an infection that inflames the lungs and causes the air sacs (alveoli) to fill with fluid and immune cells. This fluid blocks gas exchange, so oxygen has trouble getting into the blood and carbon dioxide out, making breathing hard. The danger comes from the resulting low blood oxygen, potential respiratory failure, and the risk that the infection can spread to the bloodstream (sepsis) or cause further lung damage. So the correct description is an infection that inflames the lungs and leads to fluid in the alveoli with difficult breathing. Other options describe a pleural problem, a benign airway growth, or a nose infection, which aren’t pneumonia.

Pneumonia is an infection that inflames the lungs and causes the air sacs (alveoli) to fill with fluid and immune cells. This fluid blocks gas exchange, so oxygen has trouble getting into the blood and carbon dioxide out, making breathing hard. The danger comes from the resulting low blood oxygen, potential respiratory failure, and the risk that the infection can spread to the bloodstream (sepsis) or cause further lung damage. So the correct description is an infection that inflames the lungs and leads to fluid in the alveoli with difficult breathing. Other options describe a pleural problem, a benign airway growth, or a nose infection, which aren’t pneumonia.

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