Is it possible to drink beer after pneumonia? Is it possible or impossible to drink alcohol after pneumonia? How Trichopolum is used in the treatment of alcoholism

Alcohol is a serious enemy of any person; its excessive consumption can cause serious damage to the body. Alcohol has a detrimental effect on many human organs, and the lungs are not left out. After conducting a number of studies, it was proven that in chronic alcoholism, half of the deaths occur due to lung diseases.

The reason for such deplorable data is their direct dependence on the effect of strong drinks. About 5% of alcohol is eliminated from the body through them, which causes damage. If your lungs hurt after a feast, this is a clear reason to think about it and make an appointment with a doctor.

Why does my lung hurt after drinking alcohol?

The lungs become too weak under prolonged exposure to alcohol and lose their ability to resist various infections. The lungs of a drinker are more susceptible to bacterial flora. Too few antibodies are formed in them, the production of leukocytes is disrupted, and the properties of the cells change.

Most chronic lung diseases fall to drinkers. Often this disease progresses due to their love for cigarettes, which leads to aggravating consequences. The effect of alcohol on the lungs is only negative. Every person who cares about their health should remember this.

Pneumonia – a disease of alcoholics?

Not long ago, many alcoholics died from advanced pneumonia. The reason for such terrible statistics was untimely treatment. Many simply had no idea about their illness and continued to drink alcohol. However, today, with the advent of antibiotics, this problem has slightly faded into the background.

Treatment of pneumococcal pneumonia is more favorable. Just don’t forget about the development of possible complications. Often the disease occurs in a latent form; radiological signs do not allow an accurate diagnosis.

Recent data indicate a significant increase in the development of pneumonia due to gram-negative bacteria. This disease often occurs in people who abuse alcohol. The course of the disease is acute with the appearance of jaundice, hypotension and leukopenia. Transition to a chronic form is possible. Also factors in the development of pneumonia can be: bacteroides, Haemophilus influenzae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa.

The development of complications during pneumonia in alcoholics is much more likely than in a healthy person. They often face a disastrous outcome, especially if we are talking about late diagnosis.

The course of the disease in alcoholics is more dangerous and is accompanied by:

high temperature;
difficult breathing;
signs of damage to the central nervous system appear;
stomach ache;
heart failure

Alcoholic drinks provoke any inflammation of the lungs. Alcohol should be put aside if there are problems with the respiratory system.

Lung abscess

This disease is especially common among representatives of the strong side of humanity. Thus, out of 100 patients, 60-75% occur in men. As for alcoholics, their number reaches up to 70%. Thus, most of the victims abused alcohol, which provoked the disease.

A frequent factor causing progression is considered to be insufficient oral hygiene. With timely diagnosis and treatment, complete recovery is guaranteed in 40%. But we must not forget about the chronic course of the disease. Periodically, the abscess makes itself felt again, accompanied by a severe cough, purulent sputum and hemoptysis. The infection can only be cured surgically.

The treatment process takes place in several stages:

Bronchoscopy is performed to exclude a tumor and to conduct bacteriological examination.
Penicillin is prescribed, it is able to stabilize the exacerbation of the infection.
Bronchoscopy should be performed every 3-5 days.
Mandatory provision of abscess drainage.
Depending on the course of treatment, the question of the advisability of surgery is considered.

Even mild alcohol poisoning can end disastrously for a person with such a diagnosis.

Tuberculosis and other diseases

The development of tuberculosis occurs quite often in people who drink. However, they are not always easy to treat; therapy is constantly interrupted, which further aggravates the situation. If treatment is not continued, the infection can spread throughout the body.

Pulmonary amoebiasis. Occurs as a result of the activity of intestinal amebiases. They gradually enter the liver, infect it and rush to the lungs, where they cause their harmful effects. It has been proven that dysfunction of the respiratory apparatus can occur without visible changes in the lungs. Thus, cirrhosis of the liver can lead to hypoxemia.

Alcohol not only has a toxic effect on the body, but also dehydrates it. This causes a disruption in the protective function of the mucous membranes; it is not able to resist the action of harmful bacteria. A person who drinks gets sick much more often than those who lead a healthy lifestyle. Their body has a weakened immune system, which is a sure path to acquiring dangerous diseases.

The first symptoms of pulmonary diseases:

the appearance of a severe cough;
constantly feeling weak;
weight loss;
heavy sweating;
a slight increase in temperature (within 37.2C), which does not fall for a long time;
the appearance of blood in the sputum is an immediate reason to go to the hospital.

When your lung hurts after drinking alcohol, you should not ignore the symptoms, but strive to recover.

Prevention of pulmonary diseases

Alcoholic drinks can affect phagocytosis and the immune system. A person who drinks significantly increases the likelihood of developing lung diseases. Therefore, the best method of prevention is to completely stop drinking alcohol.

This is especially true in cases where the disease has made itself felt. It’s stupid to continue ruining your life, it’s important to say “no” to your addiction and return to a healthy life!

It is determined by the following factors:

place of infection (at home or in hospital);

the patient’s age and underlying illnesses;

type and symptoms of clinical manifestations (typical or atypical);

localization of P. and x-ray picture (segmental, lobar, focal, interstitial, abscess or with the participation of the pleura).

Currently, the clinical course of P. has changed: the frequency of atypical P. has increased, every third patient has a protracted course, the quality of P.’s diagnosis remains low. The examination plan for a patient with P. includes the mandatory methods: (physical examination; radiography in two projections; general and biochemical blood tests; general analysis of urine and sputum); additional (assessment of ventilation; bacteriological examination of sputum; bronchoscopy, when the diagnosis is not clear after an X-ray examination of the lungs) and optional (immunogram).

The main clinical syndromes of P. are; intoxication, general inflammatory changes, inflammatory changes in lung tissue, involvement of other organs and systems. The cardinal symptoms of P. are as follows: cough (dry, productive), chest pain; chills; fever; the appearance or intensification of shortness of breath; sonorous, fine-bubbling, moist rales over the affected area. Additionally, the following are determined (as with other infectious diseases): malaise, anorexia, chills, myalgia, arthralgia and headache. P. is usually preceded by a viral or mycoplasma infection. Patients with staphylococcal or pneumococcal P. may become sharply heavier within a few hours and, conversely, persons with mycoplasma P. may have symptoms for 2-3 weeks.

Sometimes non-respiratory symptoms can dominate the clinic and mask the diagnosis of P. Thus, a noticeable impairment of consciousness can occur with Legionnaires' disease, and damage to the lower lobe can cause acute renal or abdominal symptoms. Therefore, X-ray examination of the lungs is very important in the diagnosis of “acute abdomen”. Thus, in one of the English clinics, out of 145 children with lobar P., 5 were diagnosed with acute appendicitis upon admission. In elderly patients, the classic symptoms of P. may be absent or only tachycardia and increased blood pressure may appear. Respiratory symptoms in P. can vary, but the classic ones include: cough in almost all patients, shortening of breathing in 2/3 of patients, pleural pain in 60% of patients, the appearance of “new” sputum in 50% of cases and hemoptysis in 15% of patients. In the early stages of P., sputum is usually viscous, scanty, or may not be present at all with atypical P.

When diagnosing P., it is important to assess the epidemic situation: taking into account the time of year, place, and professional history. Thus, a spontaneous “outbreak” of P. among family members is unlike ordinary P., but may indicate mycoplasma or viral P.

The patient’s age, his social status, and the presence of concomitant diseases may suggest the development of specific P. Thus, mycoplasma P. is more common among young, healthy individuals. Pneumococcal P. can occur at any age. Gr (-) bacillary infection predominates in the elderly or in severely ill patients. Typically, “pyogenic” P. is a problem in people with concomitant severe diseases. In general, P.'s symptoms are often nonspecific and their assessment should be based on a physical examination.

A physical examination of a patient with P. should be complete, with a determination of: respiratory rate, impaired respiratory excursions, dullness on percussion, weakened vesicular breathing or bronchial breathing. Sometimes the key to P.'s diagnosis may lie outside the respiratory tract. Thus, skin lesions (erythema multiforme, erythema nodosum) suggest mycoplasma P. (but there may also be TVS or fungal infection of the lungs). The presence of bradycardia against the background of high fever can occur with legionella and mycoplasma P. (normally, with an increase in body temperature by 1 o C, the heart rate increases by 10 per minute). The doctor must identify not only the leading symptoms of P., but also symptoms of complications (pleural effusion, endocarditis, arthritis, central nervous system damage).

Laboratory and radiological assessment of P. includes: biochemical tests (AST, ALT, bilirubin), peripheral blood and urine, which should be done in all patients with suspected P. The number of leukocytes is an important test that helps distinguish between infections caused by typical bacteria . Thus, a normal number of leukocytes (or only a slight increase) is common with mycoplasma P. On the contrary, pronounced leukocytosis indicates P. caused by Haemophilus influenzae, pneumococcus and Gr (-) bacilli. A decrease in white blood cell count may indicate local or metastatic infection.

The presence of P. and its severity can be verified by radiography of the lungs. However, in the initial period of P., radiological changes may be very weak or may be completely absent in persons with leukopenia. The doctor should not “go away” from the diagnosis of P., if there are minimal changes on the X-ray of the lungs. All chest radiographs should be taken dynamically, to reassess the focus of the lesion and the nature of the infiltrate, as well as to verify: the presence or absence of pleural effusion, cavity, adenopathy, calcification, mediastinal displacement and lung volume. Thus, aspiration (anaerobic) P. most often affects the posterior segment of the upper lobe or the upper segment of the right lung, and it is possible that both of these zones can be affected at once. An infection developing from hematogenous sources usually appears on x-ray as multiple, round infiltrates, the number of which increases on subsequent films of the lungs.

Once P. is diagnosed, there is no need to perform a series of x-rays in a patient with good clinical improvement. Follow-up radiographs are indicated to: document resolution of infiltration; exclusion of possible bronchogenic cancer; assessment of residual changes and fibrosis.

Among community-acquired, outpatient forms of P., pneumococcal forms dominate, most often caused by Gr (+) P. streptococcus (pneumococcus), which can be found in the upper respiratory tract, especially in the spring. Within this species there are 84 subtypes with varying pathogenicity. The most severe course is caused by types I, II, III.

Pneumococcal P. can occur depending on the reactivity of the macroorganism in the form of:

lobar (or with damage to two segments), with a typical spread of the process to the pleura (pleuropneumonia), severe ARF and severe intoxication. Previously, it was inaccurately designated as lobar P. This P. requires hospitalization of the patient and is a significant clinical problem. Mortality with this P. is 20-40%, and complications occur in 20-25% of patients.

focal P. (bronchopneumonia).

It must be remembered that lobar P. can also be caused by Klebsiella and, less commonly, by Mycoplasma, Staphylococcus and Legionella.

Pneumococcal P. (accounts for 25% of all P.) occurs more often in men aged 20-60 years against the background of predisposing factors: previous viral infection (in more than half of patients), hypothermia, chronic alcoholism, concomitant chronic diseases (for example, coronary artery disease , hypertonic disease). Currently, pneumococcal (lobar) P. has “changed” somewhat: it has become segmental rather than lobar (if treatment is started in the first 1-2 days), the duration of fever and the period of severe clinical manifestations have decreased, hemoptysis and collapse have become rare, but more common protracted course.

For lobar P., the following characteristic features have been preserved: suddenness (development during full health) with a short shaking chill, but no more than 1-3 hours (in 80%); presence of headache. Later appear: persistent fever of 38-39 o C in 85% of cases (but in old people and exhausted people the body temperature is often normal!); pleural pain in the chest, on the affected side, associated with the development of parapneumonic pleurisy on the first day of illness (80%); the cough is initially dry, then productive with viscous mucopurulent sputum (more often) or “rusty” (in 35%); shortness of breath, and in case of volumetric lesions of the lungs or the presence of cardiac pathology - and at rest (in 60%); herpetic rashes on the lips, near the nose, on days 2-4 of illness (in 25%); cyanosis of varying degrees of severity and symptoms of intoxication - headache, general severe weakness (60%).

Elderly and weakened persons, alcoholics are often taken to the hospital with impaired consciousness (acute impairment of brain activity); and alcoholics can even develop psychosis of somatogenic origin. All this makes it difficult to diagnose P.

In general, the presence of rusty sputum and herpes labialis is recorded quite rarely and cannot be considered as a pathognomonic sign of lobar, pneumococcal P. If in the clinic of pneumococcal pneumococcal P., damage to other organs rather than the lungs is dominant, it is necessary to look for another pathology or complications. In severe forms of this P., icteric staining of the skin of the sclera of the eyes and mucous membranes may appear due to an increase in the level of total bilirubin (up to 25-30 mg/l). In persons with chronic diseases of the lungs or heart, this P. may be complicated by acute respiratory failure, heart failure, or may manifest itself as a severe septicemic disease.

An objective examination of a patient with lobar, pneumococcal P. reveals: tachycardia and tachypnea; infiltration phenomena - increased vocal tremors and bronchophony (60-90%), which can precede the appearance of percussion dullness by several hours (70-100%). Dullness of pulmonary sound may not be detected if the focus of compaction is located deeper than 4 cm. On the 2-3rd day, crepitus begins to be heard (in 65-90% of cases) (which occurs in the alveoli and is heard at the end, the maximum of inspiration, does not disappear and does not change its own character when coughing) and pleural friction noise (in 30-60%). The latter occurs in both phases of breathing, and crepitus only at the end of inspiration. When simulating breathing (chest movements), crepitus is not audible. Even later, bronchial breathing is heard (30-40%) over the entire affected area. Brochial respiration is caused by: filling the alveoli with exudate (air does not penetrate into them), better conductivity of denser tissue of air flow through the bronchi. Sometimes breathing can be harsh (in a third of patients) or weakened vesicular (in 30-60%). Above the affected area, breathing is usually weakened, moist, often dull (less often sonorous) fine bubbling rales are heard. In general, physical findings are consistent with the spread of pulmonary infiltrate and involvement of the pleura. With early prescription of AB, the appearance of clinical and radiological symptoms of the hot flash stage is ephemeral; a thorough physical search is necessary. In cases of fatal P., severe ARF and circulatory collapse appear. When listening to the heart, the following are noted: tachycardia (more than 120 per minute), dullness of heart sounds (20-40%), there may be an emphasis on the second tone over the pulmonary artery.

From the point of view of the clinic’s features, we can highlight:

central shape this P., in which the process is located deep in the pulmonary parenchyma. With this P., pulmonary symptoms are weakly expressed: the percussion sound changes little, crepitus and wheezing may not be heard, but general symptoms are clearly expressed.

upper lobe P., which is characterized by a severe course, high fever, severe shortness of breath, disorders of the central nervous system and hemodynamics. At the same time, physical data are scanty; often bronchial breathing and crepitus are heard only in the axillary region.

lower lobe P., in which the diaphragmatic pleura is often affected, followed by a pseudo-picture of an “acute abdomen.” Help in diagnosing P. is the appearance of chills, fever, and the presence of rusty sputum.

X-ray findings depend on the time of examination. At the beginning of the disease, they are minimal: increased pulmonary pattern in the affected area, lack of structure of the root on the affected side. Then (on days 4-6) homogeneous, segmental foci of infiltration are detected in 3/4 of patients on the periphery of the pulmonary fields. In severe forms of P., there may be a rapid increase in compaction of the lung tissue, despite the AB treatment. More often the upper lobe of the right lung is affected (in 16-32% of cases) and the lower lobe of the left lung (12-24%). In a third of patients, parapneumonic pleurisy is detected, although a targeted search reveals it in half of the cases. With adequate and early treatment in a third of adult patients, resorption of infiltration occurs on days 7-8, and with delayed treatment of AB, against the background of COPD, resorption slows down (up to 30-40 days). The usual time frame for radiological normalization of the pulmonary pattern is 20-30 days. Prolonged resolution of lobar P. occurs in 30-50% of patients.

Peripheral blood tests indicate: leukocytosis 15-25x10 9 (in 95% of cases) with a shift to the left, toxic granularity of neutrophils, hyperfibrinogenemia, accelerated ESR. In very severe cases of P. leukocytosis may not be present, but leukopenia is detected (less than 3x10 9).

Lobar, pneumococcal P. can be complicated by: abscess formation, slight parapneumonic pleurisy, less often - meningitis, endocarditis with damage to the aortic valve. Elderly, weakened patients may develop: shock, cardiac and respiratory failure, delirium.

The prognosis of this P., without complications, is good in young, treated individuals. But there is a high risk of mortality (15-20%) in a number of elderly patients with: large damage to the lung tissue, severe concomitant diseases (CNLD, cardiac pathology, liver cirrhosis, cancer) against the background of low or high leukocytosis (less than 4000 and more than 20,000 leukocytes, respectively) and the appearance of a bacteremic form of this P. with the development of extrapulmonary lesions (meningitis, endocarditis).

The high sensitivity of pneumococcus to penicillins and cephalosporins allows the use of these ABs as a diagnostic tool. Their administration in 2/3 of cases of pneumococcal P. leads to: normalization of body temperature within 3 days, a sharp decrease in intoxication and leukocytosis in the peripheral blood. In 1/3 of patients, such treatment is ineffective; body temperature normalizes only after 6-7 days. This is usually observed when more than one lobe of the lung is affected or in persons suffering from alcoholism or concomitant diseases (IHD, COPD, hepatitis).

Quite often (up to 50%!) lobar P. is not recognized during life or patients are hospitalized late (up to 60%). In general, lobar, pneumococcal P. is characterized by:

development against the background of various pathologies (CNLD, ischemic heart disease, diabetes mellitus, pulmonary tuberculosis, chronic alcoholism, cancer) and a decrease in the general reactivity of the macroorganism

high fever (88%),

drug crisis (good, “terminating” effect) with rapid normalization of temperature within two days from the start of treatment with penicillin, cephalosporins (in 75% of cases),

symptoms of lung consolidation (60%),

crepitus (65%),

pleural friction noise (30-60%).

In modern conditions, the clinic of this P. can still be varied, erased and not fit into the above classical description. This is determined not only by the pathogen, but also by the reactivity of the patient.

For focal P. ( bronchopneumonia - the infection begins in the bronchi and then spreads peripherally), more often (in 2/3 of cases) pneumococcal (but the causative agents can also be Haemophilus influenzae, viral-bacterial associations, staphylococcus) is characteristic: secondary (frequent development on a predisposing background, connection with infection in bronchial tree: occurs against the background of acute respiratory infections, acute bronchitis, influenza (or complicates the course), the presence of severe concomitant diseases of the lungs and heart. Focal P. has a gradual, non-acute onset. The increase in temperature lasts up to 5 days, which does not indicate the ineffectiveness of AB therapy or the appearance of complications. This P. is characterized by a persistent cough with mucopurulent sputum (may be streaked with blood). Objectively, scanty clinical symptoms are revealed: in 2/3 of people, bronchophony is increased. However, usually upon auscultation over the affected area the following are noted: hard vesicular breathing (with a tinge of bronchial) or weakened (due to blockage of the bronchi with mucus) and moist rales.Moist rales occur more often in the small bronchi and are associated with the “gurgling” of air through the layer of exudate. They may disappear or change their timbre when coughing. The sonority of moist rales depends on the density of the tissue surrounding the bronchus: if the tissue is compacted (as with P.), then the rales are sonorous; if the tissue is normal (with congestion, local pneumosclerosis) - moist rales are silent. Wet, dry rales and crepitus are not always audible. Auscultatory symptoms of this P. are very poor in old people and weakened individuals, due to the presence of EL and shallow breathing. Sometimes in the clinic the symptoms of acute bronchitis or exacerbation of chronic asthma with signs of bronchial obstruction may predominate.

For hilar bronchopneumonia (central) characteristic: rare presence of pain in the side; frequent negative results of percussion and auscultation (since the focus is located deep in the lung, without involving the pleura); wheezing can also be heard on the healthy side. Often the clinical picture may be similar to central lung cancer and tuberculosis. During X-ray examination, pulmonary infiltration is difficult to detect. since it often overlaps the shadow of the heart.

X-ray examination of focal P. usually reveals: the presence of various small foci of infiltration measuring 1-1.5 cm (“spotty” darkening, often of varying intensity) of the lung tissue (usually in the lower lobes of the right lung) with diffuse involvement of the pulmonary parenchyma. Often these P. are difficult to identify on an x-ray of the lungs: there may only be an increase in the pulmonary pattern or the root of the lung. Focal P is characterized by rapid radiological positive dynamics: after 5-6 days it changes significantly, and after 8-10 days the lesions resolve (in a third of patients). In uncomplicated cases, radiological resolution of focal P. occurs within up to 4 weeks.

The protracted course of P. is characterized by: complaints of persistent cough with sputum, moderate chest pain, weakness, fatigue, low-grade fever and shortness of breath on exertion. Scanty residual physical symptoms are determined - the preservation of moderate, residual infiltration or an increase in the pulmonary pattern on R-grams of the lungs. Blood tests reveal minor changes: moderate leukocytosis with a shift to the left, slightly accelerated ESR.

Catad_tema Alcohol addiction - articles

Features of antibacterial therapy of pneumonia against the background of chronic alcohol intoxication

MEDICINES AND PHARMACEUTICALS Aleksanyan L.A., Gorodetsky V.V., Gorodetsky O.V., Krivtsova E.V., Makaryan A.S., Prokhorovich E.A., Khanaliev V.Yu., Chibikova A.A. , Shamuilova M.M.
Department of Clinical Pharmacology and Internal Diseases, Moscow Medical Dental Institute.
Department of Therapy and Occupational Diseases of the Moscow Medical Academy named after. THEM. Sechenov.

Since R. Laennec described liver cirrhosis resulting from alcohol abuse in 1819, the problem of somatic pathology developing as a consequence of chronic alcohol intoxication has been a constant subject of internal medicine. Damages to internal organs due to alcohol abuse can be divided into two large groups: the first consists of pathological conditions specific to alcohol disease, for example, alcoholic (toxic) dilated cardiomyopathy; the second unites diseases common in the population, which have significant characteristics in individuals who expose themselves to chronic alcohol intoxication. The latter include acute inflammatory lung diseases, and in particular pneumonia.

Alcohol intoxication is a widespread condition that manifests itself quite consistently in different peoples and at different times. As an illustration, we can cite statistical data for the Russian Empire for 18 years, starting from 1870, from which it follows that even then “drinking vodka” took first place among the causes of death from accidents (Table 1).

Table 1.
Collection of statistical information on the Russian Empire for 1870-1887

It is necessary to briefly dwell on the definition of concepts. By all definitions, the concept of alcoholism always includes mandatory changes in the psyche, signs of social maladaptation and antisocial behavior. Meanwhile, in a number of people the appearance of somatic changes is observed quite early, when the full-scale mental and social consequences have not yet had time to develop.

The possibility of developing alcohol-induced organ damage without pronounced mental and social signs of alcoholism prompted the frequent use of not very clearly defined terms “alcohol abuse”, “chronic alcohol intoxication” and led to the emergence of a new concept “alcohol disease”, which is defined as a complex of mental and/or somatoneurological health disorders associated with regular consumption of alcohol in doses hazardous to health (with chronic alcohol intoxication) (V.S. Moiseev, 1997). From a morphological point of view, alcoholic disease is a disease in which long-term repeated intoxication with ethanol leads to characteristic structural changes in the organs and systems of the body, is accompanied by corresponding clinical symptoms and goes through 3 stages in its development: repeated alcohol intoxication, drunkenness and alcoholism (V. S. Paukov, 1997).

In typical cases, diagnosing chronic alcohol intoxication does not cause much difficulty (although even with complete clarity, only a narcologist has the right to make a diagnosis of alcoholism). However, often, even in the presence of organ pathology, it is very difficult to prove its alcoholic nature. Different authors cite a variety of indirect signs of alcohol abuse, called in some cases indicators, in others - markers (Table 2).

Table 2.
Indicators of chronic alcohol abuse (according to W.van Zutphen et al., 1996)

Problems	Symptom/syndrome/nosology
0general	Fatigue, general malaise Hyperventilation Hyperhidrosis Change in body weight Smell of alcohol on the breath Facies alcoholica Scars, burns, tattoos Telangiectasia Gynecomastia Dupuytren's contracture
Gastrointestinal tract	Esophageal reflux Peptic ulcer/gastritis Hepatomegaly Pancreatitis
Heart/lungs	Myocardial dystrophy, arrhythmia Urinary infections
Nervous system	Headache, memory disorders, hand tremors Polyneuropathy Muscle pain, muscle atrophy Epileptiform seizures Hepatic encephalopathy
Bones	Fractures
Genitourinary system	Nephritis, urinary infection Sexual disorders
Metabolic disorders	Carbohydrate o6men Purine metabolism
Laboratory research	Red blood cell macrocytosis, anemia Increased levels of ALT, AST Increasing g-GT levels
Various	Frequent visits to the doctor Complaints are variable and inexplicable No or unexpected response to treatment The effect of quitting alcohol

However, indirect signs can help to suspect alcoholic illness, but the only convincing evidence of chronic alcohol intoxication (except, perhaps, in cases of alcoholic delirium) can only be anamnesis. Reliable information, due to fears of any repressive measures, can usually be obtained from patients and relatives only in the first days and even hours after hospitalization, when the severity of the condition and fears that the lack of awareness of doctors will negatively affect the quality of treatment force them to tell the truth. If the anamnesis is collected later, then you have to resort to careful indirect questions, conduct the conversation in a half-joking tone, playing on the patient’s pride, since when asked directly, these patients usually answer that they drink like everyone else or only on holidays. Structural and functional changes that develop in organs and systems during alcohol abuse determine the characteristics of the clinical course of many somatic diseases. It is well known that against the background of chronic alcohol intoxication, pneumonia tends to be severe and protracted with a tendency to abscess formation. Among the reasons for this trend, general, local and associated reasons can be identified (Table 3).

Table 3.
POSSIBLE FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO SEVERE COURSE AND DESTRUCTION OF ACUTE PNEUMONIA IN PERSONS WITH ALCOHOL ABUSE

Factors such as smoking, cooling and aspiration, although they occur quite often in alcohol abusers, do not seem to play a leading role in the severe and complicated course of pneumonia. It appears that local and general changes play a much larger role. Thus, the existing disruption of surfactant synthesis serves as the basis for the occurrence of microatelectasis with all the ensuing consequences. Atrophy of the ciliated epithelium and changes in the quality of bronchial secretions disrupt the drainage function of the bronchi with the formation of chronic bronchitis, often with bronchial obstruction. Violations of vascular permeability and microcirculation lead, on the one hand, to changes in gas exchange, and on the other, to a deterioration in the nutrition of the lung tissue itself, which is also realized by a deterioration in the penetration of antibacterial drugs into the lesion. The pneumosclerosis and pulmonary hypertension present in these patients also contribute to this. The whole complex of changes, together with pulmonary emphysema, facilitates the development of respiratory failure in these patients. A number of general factors also contribute to the unfavorable course of pneumonia: vitamin deficiency, which occurs both as a result of poor nutrition and as a result of the direct and indirect effects of alcohol; hormonal disorders, in particular, disturbances in the metabolism of steroids - anti-inflammatory glucocorticoids, pro-inflammatory mineralocorticoids, as well as sex hormones; immunodeficiency and impaired detoxification function of the liver. A special place among all these changes is occupied by disturbances in drug metabolism.

Thus, systematic alcohol abuse significantly aggravates the course of pneumonia. Thus, according to American authors (Richard Saitz et al., 1997), among persons hospitalized for pneumonia without an alcohol history, intensive therapy was required in 12%, and in the presence of chronic alcohol intoxication - in 18% of cases. True, the mortality rate in these groups did not differ, reaching 10% in both cases, which can be explained not so much by the perfection of intensive care in the USA, but by the peculiarities of the formation of observation groups: only cases of the most severe course of pneumonia are analyzed, since with a milder course in the USA, patients do not are hospitalized. According to our data, hospital mortality for community-acquired pneumonia is generally significantly lower, amounting to 2.89%. Moreover, among alcohol abusers it reaches 4.21%. This is quite natural, since against the background of chronic alcohol intoxication, pneumonia often becomes protracted, up to 60% of cases are destructive pneumonia, and the relatively small frequency of focal confluent pneumonia (9%) is due to the fact that with this course in people with alcoholic illness very often disintegration occurs. At the same time, destructive and focal confluent pneumonias account for 85% of all cases that end in death.

Despite the fact that the clinical course of pneumonia against the background of chronic alcohol intoxication has significant unfavorable features, the spectrum of pathogens in these patients, according to our data, did not differ significantly from that in persons without an alcohol history. In both cases, there is a three to fourfold predominance of Gram-positive flora and almost the same frequency of detection of associations of Gram-positive and Gram-negative microorganisms, although it turned out to be somewhat lower than the values usually given in the literature.

When assessing the clinical effectiveness of the antibacterial therapy, we used the following criteria. Therapy was considered effective with the complete disappearance of all subjective and objective clinical signs of the disease and positive radiographic dynamics. The result of therapy was considered negative if the clinical picture persisted or progressed within 3-5 days after the prescription of this antibacterial agent, in the absence and negative dynamics of radiological data, when new foci of infection were detected in or outside the lungs, as well as in the event of the patient’s death. If serious undesirable effects appeared, the drug was discontinued, but the development of side effects did not affect the assessment of its effectiveness.

Table 4.
The effectiveness of antibacterial therapy for pneumonia in alcohol abusers and non-alcohol abusers

Analysis of the effectiveness of various antibiotics in people without an alcohol history and in patients who abuse alcohol (Table 4) did not reveal, with one exception, significant differences between the groups. In both cases, ampicillin, a combination of ampicillin with gentamicin, and a combination of cefotaxime with gentamicin had minimal effectiveness, not exceeding 10% of cases of their use. Other cephalosporins demonstrated slightly greater effectiveness, but positive treatment results were achieved in less than 1/3 of the cases of their use. The highest effectiveness was found with fluoroquinolones and amoxocillin with clavulanic acid. Moreover, the least hepatotoxic ciprofloxacin gave a positive result in people with chronic alcohol intoxication in almost 9 out of 10 cases, for which we were unable to find a clear explanation.

Thus, the absence of fundamental differences in the effectiveness of various antibiotics (with the exception of the unexpected result for ciprofloxacin) in individuals with and without an alcohol history prompted us to search not for new antibacterial agents, but for new ways of their administration, which will significantly increase the concentration of the antibiotic in the inflammatory focus and thereby increase its effectiveness.

One possibility to achieve this goal may be to administer an antibacterial agent into the lymphatic system (lymphatic therapy). Direct lymphatic therapy (endolymphatic), which is widely used in surgical practice, consists of administering drugs into a lymphatic vessel, requires its surgical drainage, which limits its distribution in therapeutic departments. With indirect lymphatic (lymphotropic) therapy, a drug depot is created in the fatty tissue of the area close to the lesion using conventional percutaneous puncture. Through the lymphatic vessels draining this cellular space, the medicine enters the lymphatic system from where, with a retrograde flow of lymph, it enters the inflammatory focus (Scheme 1). The available literature data on the effectiveness of this method in the treatment of complicated pneumonia allowed us to hope that with its help it is possible to achieve improving the results of treatment of patients with a burdened alcohol history.

Scheme 1.

To treat inflammatory lung diseases, an antibacterial drug is injected into the retrosternal space using either an upper or lower midline approach. The puncture, which is technically easy to perform, is performed with a conventional needle for intramuscular injections under local anesthesia with a minimal amount of lidocaine. We used this method in 10 patients with chronic alcohol intoxication and complicated pneumonia. The indication for retrosternal administration of an antibiotic was the ineffectiveness of previous therapy. All patients received 80 mg of gentamicin retrosternally daily or every other day. 10 similar patients served as controls.

The results obtained confirmed the effectiveness of retrosternal administration of the antibacterial drug. In patients who received lymphotropic therapy, an acceleration in the dynamics of clinical and laboratory data was achieved. Thus, in patients of group 1, signs of intoxication stopped much faster, dullness of percussion sound and weakening of breathing disappeared earlier, and there was a tendency for wheezing and shortness of breath to disappear earlier. Since signs of decreased intoxication, including an earlier decrease in leukocytes and ESR, were combined with a tendency toward an earlier decrease in cough and sputum production, the latter can be considered favorable clinical symptoms. All this led to a reduction in bed days by more than a third (Diagram 1).

Diagram 1.
Duration of detection of pathological changes in patients who received (group I) and did not receive (group II) retrosternal therapy

The effectiveness of the applied method is confirmed by X-ray studies. If in the control group more than half of the patients had the least favorable outcomes - massive fibrosis and encysted pleurisy, then against the background of lymphotropic therapy the majority of patients achieved relative recovery and moderate pneumosclerosis.

1. In terms of the structure of pneumonia pathogens, persons with and without chronic alcohol intoxication do not differ from each other.

2. The effectiveness of individual antibacterial drugs generally differs little in patients with and without an alcohol history, although in the latter the highest effectiveness was found in ciprofloxacin.

3. The tendency to decay during pneumonia in people who abuse alcohol is probably due not to the characteristics of the microflora, but to changes in the body characteristic of alcoholic illness.

4. Increasing the effectiveness of antibacterial therapy for pneumonia in alcohol abusers can be achieved using retrosternal lymphotropic therapy.

Diseases of the respiratory system due to alcoholism are not only more severe, but often result in death. Alcohol is toxic to every organ and system. Lung damage in people with alcoholism is observed 3-4 times more often than in those who do not abuse alcohol. About 5% of the alcohol entering the human body is released when breathing through the lungs. That is why, when communicating with a person who has consumed alcohol, we hear the characteristic smell of alcohol, “fumes.” Ethanol itself and its breakdown products have a detrimental effect on the mucous membrane lining the bronchi and on the lung tissue itself.

Why do alcoholics often suffer from bronchitis and pneumonia?

The protective functions of the body of alcoholics are reduced; the immune system does not provide a proper response to bacteria and viruses entering the body. Therefore, even a banal acute viral infection in people with alcohol addiction often turns into inflammation of the bronchial mucosa - bronchitis, and in the absence of proper treatment - into inflammation of the lung tissue, pneumonia.

Pneumonia among alcohol abusers is 4-5 times more common than among non-drinkers. In this case, the disease is severe, takes a protracted course, complications are often added, which can even cause death.

Pneumonia in alcoholics is often aspiration. When vomiting due to excessive alcohol consumption, vomit enters from the esophagus and stomach into the respiratory tract and into the lungs. In this case, an area of the lung tissue becomes inflamed, and aspiration pneumonia develops. Her treatment is long and her recovery is slow.

Lungs hurt after alcohol

Why does my lung hurt after drinking alcohol?

Pneumonia – a disease of alcoholics?

The development of complications during pneumonia in alcoholics is much more likely than in a healthy person. They often face a disastrous outcome, especially if we are talking about late diagnosis.

The course of the disease in alcoholics is more dangerous and is accompanied by:

high temperature;
difficult breathing;
signs of damage to the central nervous system appear;
stomach ache;
heart failure

Alcoholic drinks provoke any inflammation of the lungs. Alcohol should be put aside if there are problems with the respiratory system.

Lung abscess

The treatment process takes place in several stages:

Bronchoscopy is performed to exclude a tumor and to conduct bacteriological examination.
Penicillin is prescribed, it is able to stabilize the exacerbation of the infection.
Bronchoscopy should be performed every 3-5 days.
Mandatory provision of abscess drainage.
Depending on the course of treatment, the question of the advisability of surgery is considered.

Even mild alcohol poisoning can end disastrously for a person with such a diagnosis.

Tuberculosis and other diseases

The first symptoms of pulmonary diseases:

the appearance of a severe cough;
constantly feeling weak;
weight loss;
heavy sweating;
a slight increase in temperature (within 37.2C), which does not fall for a long time;
the appearance of blood in the sputum is an immediate reason to go to the hospital.

When your lung hurts after drinking alcohol, you should not ignore the symptoms, but strive to recover.

Prevention of pulmonary diseases

This is especially true in cases where the disease has made itself felt. It’s stupid to continue ruining your life, it’s important to say “no” to your addiction and return to a healthy life!

Pneumonia with alcoholism symptoms

LUNG DAMAGES IN ALCOHOLISM

In chronic alcoholism, the cause of death in more than half of cases is lung disease. One of the reasons for the severity and uniqueness of lung damage in alcoholism is that 5% of alcohol is excreted through the lungs. The products of alcohol metabolism also enter there, which apparently leads to cell damage. The main mechanism leading to lung damage in alcoholism is the exacerbation of bronchopulmonary infection as a result of inhibition of the body's protective properties. This was convincingly shown in animal experiments. At the same time, both experimentally and clinically, alcoholics, compared with non-drinkers, have been found to have a higher sensitivity to certain types of bacterial flora. The effect of alcohol is associated with inhibition of phagocytosis, decreased antibody formation, easier penetration of bacterial flora into the respiratory tract, disruption of leukocyte migration, as well as the function of the ciliated epithelium and the properties of mucus-secreting cells. A higher incidence of chronic nonspecific pulmonary diseases (CNLD) (bronchiectasis, pneumosclerosis, emphysema) has been noted in alcoholics. This is associated to a greater extent with exacerbations of bronchopulmonary infection, as well as with a direct damaging effect on proteins and metabolic disorders in the lungs. Most alcoholics are also heavy smokers. This partly explains the high incidence of chronic bronchitis, emphysema, pneumosclerosis, bronchiectasis, and frequent respiratory infections.

Before the advent of antibiotics, alcoholics most often suffered from pneumonia caused by pneumococcus. Drinking alcohol during the development of pneumonia often led to a terminal outcome. The prognosis was especially poor in older people. With the advent of antibiotics, the course of pneumococcal pneumonia in alcoholics has become much more favorable. However, it is in this group of people that a slow reverse development of clinical and especially radiological signs was noted. This often leads to difficulties in differentiating pneumonia from lung cancer. In this case, anamnestic indication of pulmonary pathology, which is more typical for a tumor, can be of great importance. Bronchoscopy and cytological examination of sputum are crucial for the diagnosis.

Recently, alcoholics have become much more likely to experience pneumonia caused by gram-negative bacteria, primarily Klebsiella. Diseases in these cases are usually very acute, with hypotension, sometimes jaundice, and possibly leukopenia. In this case, pneumonia often becomes chronic with the development of bronchiectasis, lung abscesses and fibrosis. Differential diagnosis must be made with pulmonary tuberculosis.

Detection of Klebsiella in sputum often encounters difficulties. Other gram-negative bacteria cause pneumonia much less frequently in alcoholics. Among them are Haemophilus influenzae, Proteus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, and Bacteroides.

Alcoholism is of particular importance in the occurrence of complications of pneumonia. Abscess formation of pneumonia in alcoholics is steadily increasing. In the 80s it reached 30%. At the same time, diagnosis of the complication is delayed in 1/3 of patients, as is their hospitalization, which is associated with the absence of classical symptoms and late breakthrough of the abscess into the bronchi. Complete clinical recovery from abscess pneumonia in alcoholics is much less common than in non-drinkers. With alcoholism, pneumonia occurs with a higher temperature, severe respiratory failure, signs of damage to the central nervous system (CNS), abdominal pain, acute heart failure, and collapse. A more severe course of pneumonia is accompanied, in addition to leukocytosis by a neutrophil shift, also by aneosinophilia. The course of pneumonia in alcoholics is characterized by resistance to antibiotics and the need for repeated changes. During delirium, patients with alcoholism die from pneumonia in 80% (of which in 1/3 of cases - from lobar). In this case, lobar pneumonia, as a rule, preceded delirium, and focal pneumonia complicated its course in approximately 15% of patients.

Aspiration pneumonia remains common among alcoholics. In vomiting as a result of disease of the esophagus or stomach, aspiration of gastric contents, including alcohol, can lead to very rapid spread of the inflammatory process to the periphery of the lung, which may resemble the development of pulmonary edema of cardiac origin, although the damage is usually unilateral. In these cases, it is advisable to combine antibiotics with corticosteroids. Reversal of pneumonia occurs slowly, leading to thickening of the peribronchial tissue.

Lung abscess occurs most often (60-75%) in men. Moreover, alcoholism is a factor predisposing to abscess in 25-70% of patients. Another risk factor is poor oral hygiene, which is also common among alcoholics. The bacterial flora in these abscesses is very diverse, usually mixed, including both aerobes and anaerobes. With conservative treatment of lung abscess with antibiotics in alcoholics, a favorable outcome with recovery can be achieved in 30-40%, while the rest experience chronicity with periodic exacerbations of the disease, increased cough with purulent sputum, shortness of breath, hemoptysis, ultimately requiring surgical treatment.

If a lung abscess occurs, the following patient management tactics are recommended. First of all, bronchoscopy is advisable to exclude a tumor, foreign body and to aspirate the contents of the abscess for the purpose of conducting bacteriological examination. Then penicillin is prescribed at a dose of 10-20 million units per day until the signs of exacerbation of pulmonary infection decrease and stabilize.

In case of insufficient drainage, bronchoscopy and aspiration of the abscess contents are performed every 3-5 days with repeated bacteriological examination. Treatment results are monitored using bronchography and lung tomography. Depending on the distribution, localization and results of conservative therapy, the question of the advisability of surgery is decided. In any case, it is important to ensure drainage of the abscess.

Pulmonary tuberculosis, like other lesions of an infectious nature, occurs more often in alcoholics than in the general population. In addition, patients often violate the regimen during hospitalization, which greatly complicates their treatment, leads to interruptions in it and makes therapy inadequate. This in turn can lead to the spread of infection and the emergence of microbial resistance. In this regard, some countries are developing programs for the simultaneous treatment of tuberculosis and alcoholism.

Pulmonary amebiasis is much more common in alcoholics in some countries. At the same time, intestinal amebiasis is observed with different frequencies. It is believed that the liver of alcoholics has limited ability to destroy amoebas that enter it from the intestines. From the affected liver, amoebas penetrate into the lungs through the diaphragm.

Pleural effusion occurs in alcoholism for various reasons. It may be caused by heart failure in alcoholic cardiomyopathy. In liver cirrhosis, ascitic fluid can enter the pleural cavity through the diaphragm, forming hydrothorax. Postmortem examination in these cases reveals a defect in the diaphragm associated with increased intra-abdominal pressure.

Lung lesions are observed in 15-30% of patients with alcoholic pancreatitis. The most typical symptoms are the appearance of pleural effusion, as well as atelectasis. The effusion is usually left-sided. It can be in the nature of exudate and transudate and is sometimes hemorrhagic, containing an increased amount of lipase and amylase. A rare cause of effusion is rupture of the esophagus as a result of sudden vomiting after drinking large amounts of alcohol. In this case, sharp pain occurs in the epigastrium. Subcutaneous emphysema on the neck and left-sided pleural effusion develop. Such patients require emergency surgery.

Impaired respiratory function in alcoholism can occur in various ways and is not always associated with noticeable morphological changes in the lungs. Thus, in liver cirrhosis, hypoxemia and hypocapnia are often found. The latter is associated with constant hyperventilation, which, however, does not depend on hypoxia. There is a suggestion that ammonium or other metabolites that accumulate in alcoholic cirrhosis may stimulate the respiratory center. Hypoxemia is associated with impaired diffusion of gases in the lungs as a result of a decrease in pulmonary capillary blood flow. In some cases of liver cirrhosis with high cardiac output, the passage of blood through the pulmonary capillaries is shortened to such an extent that proper gas exchange in the lungs does not have time to occur.

The mismatch between ventilation and perfusion plays a significant role in the development of hypoxemia in cirrhosis. Studies with radioactive xenon have shown increased ventilation in the upper parts of the lungs, while blood flow increases in the lower areas. Not only a relative, but also an absolute decrease in ventilation in the lower parts of the lungs was noted, which may be due to partial obstruction of the small bronchi as a result of edema of the peribronchial space. Finally, hypoxemia is also attributed to shunting of venous blood, and, according to some estimates, up to 15% of the blood making up the cardiac output is shunted.

The presence of anastomoses between the systems of the portal and pulmonary veins has been established, but the anastomoses between the vessels of the small and large circles in the lungs themselves are especially significant.

Indicators of external respiration in liver cirrhosis are usually close to normal, with the exception of those in patients with severe ascites. However, these disorders are usually associated with smoking, since after paracentesis the changes in breathing were insignificant.

Thus, alcoholics are prone to such common lung diseases as chronic bronchitis, bronchiectasis, pneumonia, lung abscess, aspiration pneumonia, and tuberculosis. Alcohol affects phagocytosis, immunological mechanisms and pulmonary clearance. Gas exchange disorders in alcoholics are associated not only with lung diseases, but also with changes in circulation.

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Pneumonia due to alcohol abuse

Patient K, 41 years old, milling machine operator. He was admitted to the clinic with complaints of bloating, gas retention, nausea, single vomiting, and loose stools. In the emergency room, the patient is examined by a surgeon. From the anamnesis: I fell ill 3 days ago, the temperature rose to 38.4, and shortness of breath appeared. Treated with home remedies. Abuses alcohol, appendectomy 2 years ago.

Objectively: the patient’s condition is moderate. There is shortness of breath (number of respirations - 24 per minute), cyanosis of the lips. Temperature 37.6, pulse 96 per minute, rhythmic. Blood pressure 90/60 mm. rt. Art. Lungs - vesicular breathing, somewhat weakened in the lower parts, no wheezing. Heart - tones are moderately muffled. The abdomen is symmetrically swollen, moderately tense; On palpation there is slight pain. The liver and spleen are not enlarged. Bowel sounds are sharply weakened.

Intestinal obstruction was suspected, the patient was sent to the emergency surgery clinic, where this diagnosis was excluded. The patient was diagnosed with meningeal signs and with a diagnosis of “Meningitis” the patient was transported to the neurological department. After 4 hours, the patient died due to symptoms of cardiovascular failure. An autopsy revealed bilateral lower lobe (lobar) pneumonia. There is no evidence for intestinal obstruction or meningitis.

What mistakes were made in the diagnosis and management of this patient?

Symptoms indicating surgical and neurological pathology are overestimated. No targeted exclusion of therapeutic diseases has been carried out. Patients in serious condition should not be transported from a medical institution for consultation with doctors of related specialties.

Apparently, the doctors of this medical institution were not sufficiently informed about the nature and course of pneumonia in people who abuse alcohol.

The clinical features of pneumonia in alcohol abusers include an atypical onset, a more severe course, pronounced polymorphism, weakly limited foci, a tendency for the process to spread over several lobes of the lung, and frequent abscess formation. Characteristic is; extremely rapid development in some patients of various complications, which in some cases mask the symptoms of the underlying disease, which causes diagnostic difficulties. Such “masks” are cerebral, cardiac, and abdominal variants of the course of pneumonia.

The patient thus had a combination of abdominal and cerebral variants of the course of pneumonia.

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the human body must be completely healthy, especially the liver;
alcohol must be natural, preferably dry red wine;
the dose should not exceed the permissible level - for men 20 ml of alcohol, for women 10-15 ml per day.

In another case, alcohol acts exclusively as a harmful substance. It leads to intoxication of the body and changes in all organs and systems.

Alcohol for pneumonia

During treatment for pneumonia, the attending physician categorically prohibits alcohol and nicotine. The fact is that treatment must be prescribed with the mandatory use of antibiotics. Antibiotic therapy should never be mixed with alcohol, because this is fraught with serious consequences.

Side effects resulting from mixing alcoholic drinks, such as vodka for pneumonia, are expressed as:

Liver problems. They arise against the background of a double blow: on the one hand, an antibiotic, and on the other, alcohol. Both drugs break down in the liver, so they load it, and it works twice as fast, the organ wears itself out.
Treatment may be ineffective due to the ability of alcohol to reduce the body’s sensitivity to various substances.
The combination of even small doses of alcohol with an antibiotic causes enormous damage to the immune system. This state of immunity can provoke a bunch of complications from pneumonia.

Some people ask whether it is possible to drink beer if you have pneumonia. They cite clinical results that beer has enormous benefits. This information is not entirely true. Truly natural beer for a healthy person in normal doses does not pose a threat. However, if we talk about pneumonia, with mandatory treatment with antibiotics, then there can be no talk of drinking any alcohol.

A case was described in which a patient was treated for pneumonia in a hospital for three weeks. After completing the course of antibiotic therapy and obtaining good results, he was discharged home. That same evening he was taken to the hospital by ambulance, with severe signs of intoxication. As it turned out, upon arriving home the man took liberties and drank a glass of beer.

The result was immediate - severe stress on the liver and severe intoxication of the body.

The question of whether it is possible to drink alcohol after pneumonia should be discussed with the attending physician, however, it is not advisable to drink alcohol for another three days after the end of the course of therapy.

How does alcohol affect the lungs and can you drink if you have pneumonia? Expert advice

Every adult knows that alcohol has a negative effect on the body, especially if consumed in large quantities. But few people know that drinking alcohol can lead to the development of a disease such as pneumonia.

In addition, drinking alcohol during illness can not only aggravate the patient’s condition, but also contribute to the rapid progression of pneumonia and lead to the development of complications.

Characteristic effects of alcoholic drinks on the body

Regardless of the amount drunk, as well as the strength of the alcoholic drink, Alcohol consumption negatively affects the human body. The only exceptions are therapeutic doses of certain types of drinks and only for specific people, for example, when it is necessary to stimulate the production of gastric juice with the help of alcohol.

In all other cases, alcohol is truly harmful, and the more it is drunk at one time, the more harm it causes. We are talking about toxic poisoning of the body with ethanol, which is part of every alcoholic drink, as well as damage by alcohol breakdown products.

All the symptoms of alcohol poisoning in the body show that alcohol negatively affects a lot of organs in our body:

Digestive system– when drinking alcohol, especially strong alcohol, the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract is damaged to a certain extent, and the production of gastric juice also increases and digestion is disrupted.
The cardiovascular system– alcohol promotes vasodilation and also destroys blood cells, disrupting the function of transporting oxygen throughout the body. Addiction to alcohol provokes the development of arrhythmia, atherosclerosis, coronary heart disease, and heart failure.
Brain and central nervous system– the effect of alcohol is most pronounced in relation to these structures. For this reason, when drinking alcohol, a person becomes dizzy, coordination of movements is impaired, and a feeling of euphoria appears. Alcohol is often called a neuron killer, a phrase that fully explains its effects on the brain and central nervous system.
Liver and kidneys– these organs suffer no less, since they are responsible for neutralizing ethanol and alcohol breakdown products, as well as removing toxins from the body. The consequences of alcoholism often include cirrhosis of the liver, kidney and liver failure and other pathologies.

Much depends not only on how much alcohol a person drinks at one time. Perhaps even more important is how often strong drinks are consumed, because alcoholism causes the most serious harm to the body.

Why does the disease develop in patients with alcoholism?

Listed above are the organs and systems that suffer most from alcohol abuse. As you can see, the lungs and respiratory system do not have the above mentioned points, but this does not mean that alcohol does not harm them.

In this case, the decisive role is played by the duration and severity of addiction to alcohol. In other words, the risk of developing pneumonia increases mainly in people with alcoholism, it is called “alcoholic pneumonia”. Features of the occurrence of pneumonia in alcoholics:

5% of all alcohol consumed by a person is excreted through the lungs. This means that alcohol breakdown products also enter this organ, at least along with the bloodstream. Of course, this leads to gradual damage to the lungs at the cellular level.
Chronic alcoholism in relation to the development of pneumonia is dangerous because it contributes to the destruction of proteins that perform the function of protecting lung tissue from being soaked in liquid.
Excessive alcohol consumption leads to inhibition of the phagocytosis process. At the same time, the formation of antibodies is reduced and the risk of penetration and consolidation of pathogenic microorganisms in the lungs increases. It is also worth noting that this disrupts the functions of the ciliated epithelium in the respiratory organ, as a result of which its protective functions suffer and it becomes more vulnerable.
Systematic alcohol abuse “hits” the entire body, reducing defenses. In such cases, the immune system is unable to fight pathogenic bacteria and viruses, which can trigger the development of pneumonia.
If alcoholism leads to the development of other diseases in the body, including chronic ones, this also adversely affects its condition. A striking example is inflammatory processes in the liver.

All of the above makes clear the connection between alcoholism and the development of pneumonia. Pneumonia that develops in patients with alcoholism often occurs with complications, and the nature of the disease in most cases is severe.

Can I drink during and after treatment?

During the treatment of pneumonia, drinking alcohol is contraindicated not only because alcohol lowers the body's defenses. There are at least a couple more serious reasons for this:

Drinking alcohol during treatment aggravates the course of the disease and provokes the formation of adhesions in the lungs.
In most cases, pneumonia is treated with antibiotics; as is known, such drugs are incompatible with alcohol. This is explained by the increased load on the liver, as well as a decrease in the effectiveness of the drug when combined with alcohol.

Drinking strong drinks after recovery, small doses periodically are acceptable after 1-2 weeks. However, in this case we are talking about ordinary cases of the disease. The absence of contraindications does not apply to people who suffer or have suffered from alcohol dependence.

Features of aspiration pneumonia

Separately, it is worth mentioning this type of disease as aspiration pneumonia, which in most cases occurs in newborns and alcoholics. The fact is that people suffering from alcoholism are more likely than others to encounter the problem of nausea and vomiting, including in an unconscious state or during sleep.

Aspiration pneumonia is a toxic lung injury, provoked by the penetration of the contents of the stomach, oral cavity and nasopharynx into the lower respiratory tract, including vomit.

This can happen not only during vomiting, the cause of which is ethanol poisoning of the body. A predisposing factor is pathologies of the esophagus, which often develop with alcohol abuse.

Conclusion

To summarize, it remains to say that Alcohol abuse can lead to the development of pneumonia. It is also important to realize that people with alcohol addiction are more susceptible to pneumonia. Such patients require special attention and treatment in a hospital setting. As for drinking alcohol during the treatment of pneumonia, any alcohol is contraindicated until complete recovery.

Pneumonia in alcoholics. Causes of death from pneumonia in alcoholics.

Chronic alcohol abuse leads to the destruction of proteins that protect lung tissue from being soaked with liquid, reduces the content of antioxidants and weakens immune defenses. All these processes are combined with the term “alcohol lung.”

Causes of death from pneumonia in alcoholics

One of the reasons for the severity and uniqueness of lung damage in alcoholism is that 5% of alcohol is excreted through the lungs. The products of alcohol metabolism also enter there, which apparently leads to cell damage. The main mechanism leading to lung damage in alcoholism is the exacerbation of bronchopulmonary infection as a result of inhibition of the body's protective properties. This was convincingly shown in animal experiments. At the same time, both experimentally and clinically, alcoholics, compared with non-drinkers, have been found to have a higher sensitivity to certain types of bacterial flora. The effect of alcohol is associated with inhibition of phagocytosis, decreased antibody formation, easier penetration of bacterial flora into the respiratory tract, disruption of leukocyte migration, as well as the function of the ciliated epithelium and the properties of mucus-secreting cells. A higher incidence of chronic nonspecific pulmonary diseases (CNLD) (bronchiectasis, pneumosclerosis, emphysema) has been noted in alcoholics. This is associated to a greater extent with exacerbations of bronchopulmonary infection, as well as with a direct damaging effect on proteins and metabolic disorders in the lungs. Most alcoholics are also heavy smokers. This partly explains the high incidence of chronic bronchitis, emphysema, pneumosclerosis, bronchiectasis, and frequent respiratory infections.

Before the advent of antibiotics, alcoholics most often suffered from pneumonia caused by pneumococcus.

Recently, alcoholics have become much more likely to experience pneumonia caused by gram-negative bacteria, primarily Klebsiella.

Alcoholism is of particular importance in the occurrence of complications of pneumonia. Abscess formation of pneumonia in alcoholics is steadily increasing. With alcoholism, pneumonia occurs with a higher temperature, severe respiratory failure, signs of damage to the central nervous system (CNS), abdominal pain, acute heart failure, and collapse. A more severe course of pneumonia is accompanied, in addition to leukocytosis by a neutrophil shift, also by aneosinophilia. The course of pneumonia in alcoholics is characterized by resistance to antibiotics and the need for repeated changes. During delirium, patients with alcoholism die from pneumonia in 80% (of which in 1/3 of cases - from lobar). In this case, lobar pneumonia, as a rule, preceded delirium, and focal pneumonia complicated its course in approximately 15% of patients.

Aspiration pneumonia remains common among alcoholics.

In vomiting as a result of disease of the esophagus or stomach, aspiration of gastric contents, including alcohol, can lead to very rapid spread of the inflammatory process to the periphery of the lung, which may resemble the development of pulmonary edema of cardiac origin, although the damage is usually unilateral. In these cases, it is advisable to combine antibiotics with corticosteroids. Reversal of pneumonia occurs slowly, leading to thickening of the peribronchial tissue.

Lung abscess occurs most often (60-75%) in men.

Pulmonary tuberculosis, like other lesions of an infectious nature, occurs more often in alcoholics than in the general population.

Pleural effusion occurs in alcoholism for various reasons.

It may be caused by heart failure in alcoholic cardiomyopathy. In liver cirrhosis, ascitic fluid can enter the pleural cavity through the diaphragm, forming hydrothorax. Postmortem examination in these cases reveals a defect in the diaphragm associated with increased intra-abdominal pressure.

Impaired respiratory function in alcoholism can occur in various ways and is not always associated with noticeable morphological changes in the lungs.

The mismatch between ventilation and perfusion plays a significant role in the development of hypoxemia in cirrhosis.

Help-Alco.ru

Is it possible to drink alcohol if you have a cold, pneumonia, or acute respiratory viral infection?

Everyone suffers from a cold from time to time, and illness often occurs on holidays and weekends. But there are also more serious infectious and viral diseases: influenza, ARVI, pneumonia (pneumonia). How does alcohol affect a sick body: does it help, harm, or pass without any significant difference compared to a healthy person?

Before drinking alcohol when you are sick, you need to understand that alcohol poisons the body and reduces its ability to fight the cause of the disease. In most recipes and advice, alcohol acts primarily as a way to relieve symptoms, but not to cure the disease.

In very rare cases, alcohol can still have a positive effect, but such situations are few, and the positive harm does not always exceed the negative from toxic poisoning. Alcohol lowers immunity, which increases the severity of the disease and slows down the healing process.

Alcohol for colds

Alcoholic drinks (pure, with pepper, with honey) are considered a folk remedy against colds and ARVI. It is believed that drinking a small amount of alcohol in the evening will allow you to wake up healthy in the morning and feel much better. Is this really so and is the positive effect of alcohol on colds confirmed, or is it better to abandon this method of self-medication?

Negative aspects of treatment

The opinion that alcoholic drinks warm you up and can prevent colds is wrong. After drinking alcohol, small vessels and capillaries on the skin dilate, and blood flows to it. Heated skin gives a feeling of warmth; after a large amount of alcohol it always becomes hot. In reality, it is not the entire body that warms up, but only the top layer of skin. From the surface of the body, heat is quickly released into the surrounding space, and the body temperature begins to drop sharply.

Due to excessive heat transfer from the surface of the skin and misleading sensations about heat, it is extremely dangerous to drink alcohol outside during freezing temperatures. A person does not notice how the heat leaves, still feeling the heat coming from inside and outside. Hypothermia occurs very quickly, which can be fatal. There is no need to talk about the positive effects of strong drinks under such conditions.

However, you can still drink a small amount of alcohol to warm up, but only in a warm, heated room. And only if, until the alcohol has evaporated from the blood and sobered up, being on the street or even long-term movement in the cold is not planned. The minimum period required for complete and safe elimination of a reasonable dose of alcohol is 3-4 hours.

If this time will be spent in the warmth, you can drink a glass to relax and feel warmer faster. In a warm room, increased heat transfer in the body will not cause harm and will not allow you to catch a cold. In such a situation, you can drink alcohol when you have a cold. The main thing is not to exceed the amount you drink of 1-2 glasses and not to be in the cold while intoxicated.

Important: For colds and acute respiratory viral infections, alcohol does not have any effect on viruses, but only weakens the immune system. You can drink alcohol when you have a cold, but in small quantities and not in cold air. Alcohol should not be consumed in large quantities until complete recovery -
Do not interfere with the body’s fight against the disease. You should remember that medications are incompatible with alcohol; cold medications are no exception to the rule.

When is alcohol not harmful?

A small amount of alcohol when you have a cold can help. The key word here is “small”, that is, no more than 1-2 glasses of strong alcohol. It’s even better to limit yourself to one - this will be enough to warm you up after the cold.

In small quantities, alcoholic drinks help dilate blood vessels enough to ensure sufficient blood flow to all internal organs. At the same time, 50 grams of cognac, for example, will not cause severe harm to the liver and other organs. However, with increasing dosage, the blood vessels on the surface of the skin will dilate too much. A person becomes confident that he is warming up, although in fact he is losing heat - as was already written above.

It is much healthier to drink other drinks that will help you warm up and come to your senses:

Hot tea with lemon;
Hot tea with raspberries or raspberry jam;
Milk with honey is naturally also hot or very warm.

Red wine helps prevent colds.

At the same time, in exceptional cases, alcoholic drinks can really provide serious assistance in the fight against colds. Research shows that 1-2 glasses of red wine per day halve the risk of contracting a cold during the cold season. Beneficial properties are manifested thanks to antioxidants and other beneficial substances in dry red wines.

But you can get help about red wine only if certain conditions are met:

Firstly, it implies the absence of other alcoholic beverages in parallel with the consumption of wine.
Secondly, for a therapeutic effect, the recommended dosage of 1-2 glasses per day must be observed. It is best to drink this amount in the evening with dinner - in this case, the wine will also contribute to good sleep.
Thirdly, the positive properties are noticeable only after prevention for a certain period of time. Wine will not help a person who is already sick, and alcohol abuse will worsen the course of a cold.

Drinking 1 glass of strong alcohol or 1-2 glasses of wine in the evening helps you fall asleep quickly. This quality is useful for colds, since unpleasant symptoms often interfere with sleep. Again, you should not get carried away with such “sleeping pills,” as addiction may begin to develop over time. Over time, it will take more and more alcohol to "sleep" and the temporary relief will turn into alcoholism.

Alcohol for the flu

If you have the flu, drinking alcohol may make you feel temporarily better, but this is not the case. By the morning, the symptoms that subsided during the evening intoxication will return again, intensified and along with a hangover. In addition, as is the case with flu shots, alcohol reduces immunity. The flu is much more severe, increasing the already high chance of developing severe complications during and after the illness.

During the flu, doctors advise patients to drink a lot for a reason. The liquid cleanses the body, supplies it with vitamins, and removes toxins and viruses along with urine. Alcohol interferes with the absorption of fluid into the body, causing severe dehydration.

During the flu, dehydration is dangerous for several reasons:

The initial diuretic effect is quickly replaced by a prolonged lack of moisture in the body. Viruses are no longer excreted in the urine and begin to accumulate in the body.
The intensification of a viral disease against the background of decreased immunity and poor health makes almost any treatment ineffective.
High temperature and excessive sweating during illness will cause double harm to an already dehydrated body.

Conclusion: Drinking alcohol when you have the flu is prohibited. A severe course of the disease and the development of dangerous complications are possible. Drinking alcohol, especially in large quantities, should be postponed until complete recovery. It is advisable to consult a doctor before starting to drink.

Alcohol during and after pneumonia

When treating pneumonia (pneumonia), you should not smoke or drink alcoholic beverages. Alcohol is incompatible with antibiotics that are used to treat pneumonia. Smoking is generally not recommended until pneumonia has been treated.

The following side effects are possible when drinking alcohol during pneumonia:

Microscopic adhesions form in the lungs. To get rid of this, you should buy rubber balls and inflate them regularly - naturally, after the end of treatment of the disease. Naturally,
Smoking is a problem here, as is alcohol.
Serious liver problems due to incompatibility of pneumonia medications (antibiotics) with alcohol. It is possible to develop critical conditions up to liver failure.
Refusal of medications in favor of alcohol will lead to treatment becoming ineffective. Uncontrolled pneumonia can easily result in death.

Alcohol after pneumonia can be used as usual. However, complete recovery does not occur when symptoms cease to be noticeable. Recovery must be confirmed by a doctor, who will also remove the treatment. After that You should wait at least 2-3 days before drinking alcohol so that the body gains some strength, and the liver processes the remnants of antibiotics and other drugs with which conflicts are possible.

Conclusion: Even with irregular consumption, a significant amount of alcohol has a strong impact on the immune system, weakening it. Because of this, the treatment of pneumonia is more difficult,
complications may develop. With chronic alcoholism, a significant decrease in immunity leads to the fact that the risk of contracting pneumonia becomes several times higher than that of a non-drinker.

Is it possible or impossible to drink alcohol after pneumonia?

Inflammation of the lungs leads to disruption of the functioning and integrity of the alveoli, so treatment requires costs, both financial and time, which is associated with a number of certain limitations. Compliance with the treatment regimen and subsequent rehabilitation will speed up recovery from the disease and help avoid complications and relapses.

The article will discuss whether it is possible to drink alcohol after pneumonia, what is the effect of ethanol on the body in this case, and whether there is a connection between the frequency of drinking strong drinks and pneumonia.

Recovery after illness

People with weakened immune systems and whose health is compromised for certain reasons are most susceptible to pneumonia. Therefore, the infection develops quickly with hypothermia, a cold, or contact with a sick person (see Is it possible to get pneumonia: is pneumonia contagious).

Some synthetic or natural chemically active components can cause deterioration of the immune system, for example, medications or ethanol, which also contributes to a decrease in resistance to respiratory diseases.

elderly people;
persons with COPD - chronic obstructive pulmonary disease;
patients with diabetes mellitus;
those whose immunity and respiratory system diseases are weakened due to genetic or congenital pathology;
recently operated patients;
patients with cardiovascular diseases;
persons addicted to alcohol.

The most likely route of infection is airborne droplets after contact with an infected person, but with weak immunity, microbes in the respiratory tract begin to multiply, their number exceeding the permissible critical level, which leads to the development of the disease and the occurrence of pathological processes in the lung tissue.

The primary symptoms are similar to a common cold or respiratory infection, with the difference that in the first case, as a rule, the body temperature rises significantly above 38 degrees. Symptoms are listed in Table 1.

Table 1. Main symptoms of pneumonia:

Pneumonia is classified according to:

degree of severity: light, medium, heavy;
duration: acute, prolonged without complications or with their presence;
localization: focal, lobar;
side of the lung tissue lesion: right-sided, left-sided, two-sided (read more here).

The duration of treatment usually ranges from 15 to 25 days, provided that the disease proceeds without complications and adequate therapy.

The development of pneumonia is divided into several stages depending on the processes occurring in the lungs:

The flushing stage is observed in the first 24 hours of disease development. During this period, the alveoli are intensively filled with blood and fibrinous exudation;
Red liver stage. The lung tissue becomes dense and resembles the liver in appearance due to the fact that a huge number of red blood cells are concentrated in the alveoli. The duration of this period is up to three days;
Stage of gray hepatization. At this time (3–6 days), the blood cells concentrated in the lung tissue disintegrate, and leukocytes are sent to the alveoli, which accumulate there in large numbers;
Resolution stage. Lung tissue is restored to its original state.

The effects of alcohol on the body

Regardless of the concentration of ethyl alcohol in the drink, it affects the gastrointestinal tract, central nervous system, cardiovascular and other body systems, causing various diseases or exacerbating existing ones. Strong drinks cause a decrease in the body's defense systems, so drinking alcohol during illness is extremely undesirable.

Note! Since alcohol inhibits the body's immune system, its use in case of bacterial or viral diseases is strongly discouraged.

In addition to the direct effect on the body, the harm of ethyl alcohol can be due to interaction with medications, which is especially dangerous for health. Each drug has instructions that usually contain a warning about the dangers of compatibility between alcohol and this medicine, but even if there is no strict prohibition, it should be taken into account that perhaps clinical studies of this kind have not been conducted.

It is also important to remember that in addition to the main active ingredient, the drugs contain accompanying components that can react with ethanol.

The effect of alcohol on the risk of pneumonia

As medical practice and statistics show, pneumonia and alcohol are concepts that quite often go side by side with each other. Special studies by Danish doctors showed that men who drank frequently were eight times more likely to suffer from lung damage than those who drank alcohol rarely, and in the first case the disease proceeded with complications for health and life.

The direct effect of ethanol on lung tissue is minimal, but it is a cause of other diseases. First of all, the cardiovascular system and liver suffer, if they are disrupted, the effectiveness of the immune system decreases. Cells cannot reach sites of inflammation in a timely manner, and their effectiveness decreases.

Ethanol is removed from the body not only through the excretory system. About 5% in a vapor state passes through the lungs during breathing, which aggravates the course of pneumonia due to the death of lung tissue cells due to the harmful effects of alcohol metabolites.

Simultaneously with the weakened protective functions of the body in chronic alcoholism, resistance to microorganisms that cause the development of lower respiratory tract diseases decreases.

Alcoholic drinks in this case have the following negative effects:

the receptor-recognition apparatus of cells becomes less sensitive to proteins of viruses and bacteria;
the lysis of pathogens by phagocytes is weakened;
defense mechanisms are not adequate due to reduced antibody production and decreased immune response;
migration of monocytes to foci of inflammation is difficult and slow;
Qatar of the upper respiratory tract (disruption of the ciliated epithelium of the bronchi due to which the evacuation of harmful agents does not occur).

Important. If you often drink alcoholic beverages, it disrupts protein synthesis in cells or its destruction, which leads to the stop of biological pumps and the lung tissue is more quickly saturated with liquid. In case of pneumonia, this significantly complicates the course of the disease.

In normal medical practice, the doctor experiences difficulties in treating people addicted to alcohol, since in most cases these patients are also heavy smokers. Therefore, as a rule, COPD of the second and even third degree in this case is chronic and is the basis not only for the development of pneumonia, but also bronchitis, emphysema, respiratory and other respiratory diseases.

Until antibacterial drugs began to be used in medical practice, most alcoholics suffered from frequently recurring chronic pneumonia, caused by the pneumococcal bacterium. Today, when pneumonia is detected in this group of people, a decrease in resistance is observed in relation to gram-negative pathogens, among which the microbe Klebsiella is in first place.

Diagnosing pneumonia in alcoholics can be quite difficult since complications can be masked by the presence of other diseases with similar symptoms. For example, such “masks” are the cerebral, cardiac, and abdominal course of the disease.

Features of symptoms in people who are partial to alcoholic beverages are as follows:

the initial stages appear atypically;
the degree of the disease is characterized by severe severity;
the symptoms do not have clear features because they are ambiguous;
the lesions are poorly expressed, there may be several of them, often both lobes of the lungs are affected;
frequent abscess formation.

Separately, we should dwell on the effect of alcohol on the manifestation of complications if consumed during pneumonia. Recently, quite often cases of abscess formation with pneumonia in people who abuse alcohol have begun to be recorded.

They are characterized by:

the course of the disease with high fever;
symptoms of central nervous system dysfunction;
respiratory failure;
colic in the epigastric region;
lesions of cardiac activity.

In advanced or extremely complex cases, stable leukocytosis and a decrease in the number of eosinophils are observed. Antibiotic therapy turns out to be weak because due to frequent exacerbations and changes in types of drugs, pathogenic microflora becomes resistant, developing resistance to drugs of this kind.

Pay attention. Persons who abuse alcohol and often suffer from pneumonia can end their lives precisely because of this disease.

Treatment with antibiotics

Diseases of the respiratory tract, especially those as complex as pneumonia, require the administration of antibacterial therapy, which inhibits synthetic processes in microorganisms, preventing their further spread.

Depending on the principle of action, drugs can be divided into certain groups:

Penicillins, cephalosporins– prevent the formation of cytoplasmic supra-membrane formations due to blocking of synthetic processes, have bactericidal properties;
Polymyxin, amphotericin– at the molecular level they affect the cytoplasmic processes of the cell, disrupt the integrity of the plasmalemma, which leads to lysis of the bacterium;
Tetracyclines. They block the protein synthetic activity of the bacterial cell at the DNA level, making division impossible. This group is also called bacteriostatic antibiotics.

Antibiotics should be taken as a course (which is emphasized by the specialists giving consultations in the video in this article) depending on the type of strain and its sensitivity. If this condition is violated, there is a high probability that the bacteria will develop resistance and further treatment will be ineffective.

The negative aspects of antibacterial therapy include the inability to use the same drug several times in a row, a detrimental effect on the beneficial intestinal microflora that provides immunity, and a number of side effects on certain organs and systems, for example, the liver. Therefore, drinking alcohol both during treatment and immediately after it will increase the negative effect of antibiotics on the body, while reducing their effect.

Important. Ethanol can weaken the effect of antibiotics in the treatment of pneumonia or completely neutralize it for a certain time, so you should stop drinking alcohol.

When treating pneumonia, antibiotics work as follows. In the first days after starting treatment, bacterial cells stop dividing, which means their reproduction stops.

The same result is expected if antibiotics of a similar group are used at short intervals. Therefore, when prescribing medications, they should be alternated and prescribed by a qualified doctor.

Side effects of antibacterial therapy and alcohol

When prescribing antibiotics, the doctor pursues the main goal - to destroy the bacterium that causes pneumonia as quickly and effectively as possible. At the same time, beneficial bacteria and human symbionts suffer, and for some organs the substances of drugs can be toxic.

Therefore, it is not possible to avoid side effects, and if you drink alcohol at the same time, the side effects may intensify, especially in terms of intoxication of the body. In order for the intestinal microflora to suffer as much as possible, probiotics and preparations containing strains of beneficial microcultures of single-celled organisms are prescribed.

You should not drink alcohol immediately after the end of treatment, since the concentration of antibiotics in the blood can remain for several days, and there are also drugs that maintain their antimicrobial properties for a week, for example, the drug “Sumamed”, shown in the photo below. Table 2 shows the main side effects of antibacterial therapy.

Table 2. Side effects of antibiotic treatment:

Negative manifestation

Short description

Characteristic image

Dysbacteriosis

Disruption of the natural balance of microbiota in the intestines, resulting in diarrhea or constipation. To eliminate it, taking probiotics, drugs with beneficial strains, and consuming fermented milk products is recommended.

Liver disorders

The liver cleanses the blood. Antibiotics contain toxic substances for hepatocytes. Therefore, for the speedy self-healing of the organ, it is recommended to refrain from drinking alcohol during the first time after recovery.

Kidney diseases

Approximately 80% of the contents in the drug are excreted through the kidneys, so if immunity is reduced or there are signs of renal failure, then a toxic effect on the organs of the excretory system when taking antibiotics is guaranteed.

CNS depression

There is evidence that antibiotics can slow down the functioning of synapses - intercellular contacts between neurons, but it is not possible to reduce this negative effect. That is why some inserts write that it is not advisable to drive a car or, for example, that the drug reduces attention. By the way, drowsiness is also a manifestation of this kind. If you drink alcohol, the situation will get worse.

A week after the end of taking medications, up to 98% of all substances entering it will be removed from the body, but already on the fourth day the concentration will decrease and therefore interactions with ethyl alcohol or its derivatives will not cause intoxication.

But despite this, the use of alcoholic beverages should be postponed for a preferably longer time because:

the liver needs time to recover, and ethanol is harmful to it;
weakened immune system;
increased likelihood of exacerbation of chronic diseases;
the intestinal microflora is disturbed, so the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract may malfunction.

In addition to curing the underlying disease, there may be complications that do not make themselves felt at first. Be that as it may, after completing a course of antibacterial therapy, the body needs time to restore and normalize physiological processes, so it is advisable to eat right and adhere to a healthy lifestyle.

The greatest role in this aspect is played by proper rehabilitation, which will not only help restore lost strength, but also improve health, significantly reducing the risk of getting sick again.

Rehabilitation

The term rehabilitation means a set of measures (inpatient or outpatient) aimed at eliminating the disease and normalizing functional processes in the body at the same level, as well as complete restoration of working capacity. In this regard, the timing of the start of rehabilitation procedures plays a significant role - the earlier they are carried out, the less will be needed for the recovery period, and the risks of complications are minimized.

To do this, it is important to ensure the following:

relieve the inflammatory process in the localized area, eliminate the pathogen;
return the lung to its original state with restoration of its function at full strength;
carry out a number of preventive procedures aimed at preventing the development of complications;
create favorable conditions for restoring and strengthening the body’s immune system.

In fact, the entire rehabilitation package of measures can be divided into two conditional periods. The first begins on the third or fourth day (if the temperature drops to low-grade levels) and lasts up to 15 days, while the patient strictly adheres to the established regimen.

The second, in fact, is what most ordinary people mean by the general concept of rehabilitation, here the patient is recommended to follow a certain diet, various procedures, gymnastics, daily routine, and the like are prescribed. The second period is usually spent at home, in a sanatorium or a specialized rehabilitation center. At this time, the negative consequences of the disease and antibiotic therapy are eliminated.

Rehabilitation procedures in a hospital setting usually involve:

physiotherapeutic treatment;
physical gymnastics;
massages;
prescription of medications and folk remedies;
vitamin therapy and immunotherapy;
following a certain diet.

Sanitary resort treatment

Rehabilitation can take place both at local resorts and at sea health resorts. The best option is the coast of the Caucasus; Crimea is in second place in the treatment of pulmonary diseases.

The price at domestic resorts is quite reasonable, and the quality of preventive measures is at a decent level.

Note. People who frequently suffer from respiratory diseases or COPD are recommended to undergo annual sanatorium-resort treatment on the sea coasts of the Caucasus and the mountainous Crimea.

You can visit sanatoriums all year round, but the most favorable period is considered to be from May to October, when the swimming season is open. In institutions, patients undergo various physiotherapeutic procedures depending on the diagnosis; they are given dietary nutrition, inhalations, and so on. The sea air, saturated with the evaporation of coniferous trees, which predominate in the areas where sanatoriums are located, is especially useful.

The use of pulsed currents will help reduce congestion in the lung tissue, providing increased lymph flow and blood circulation, which guarantees faster disposal of residual effects.

In the case when pleurisy develops simultaneously or as a complication during the rehabilitation process, it is recommended to use the procedure of electrical stimulation of the diaphragm, which will eliminate the pathology while reducing the likelihood of the formation of adhesions in the lungs, which is especially important if the patient has coughed heavily. In sanatoriums, the use of various types of radiation is actively used, this is especially true for patients with severe allergic syndrome or an asthmatic component.

In addition to the procedures described, applications of warm ozokerite and paraffin in the area of localization of inflammation of the lung tissue, balneological measures, therapeutic exercises, counseling of a psychotherapeutic nature and others have proven themselves well.

Gymnastics

The use of therapeutic exercises reduces congestion and helps remove phlegm, which has a beneficial effect on the patient’s recovery. After completing the acute phase of the disease, it is first recommended to perform a set of breathing exercises, and then move on to full-fledged exercise therapy.

It is good to maintain a certain rhythm with periodic changes in breathing and physical exercises, for example, in the morning and in the evening, but at the same time change the technique of their implementation. It is advisable to do physical exercise in the fresh air or in a ventilated area.

It is especially good during the rehabilitation period and not only to move more on foot, lead an active lifestyle and spend time in nature or in a clean recreational area.

Proper nutrition is useful both during treatment and during the rehabilitation process. Antibacterial therapy has a significant negative effect on the beneficial intestinal microflora, and the excretory system is subject to serious stress, so you should not create conditions for the body to do additional work.

In order for all efforts to be directed towards fighting the disease, you should eat easily digestible food with low-fat protein and fermented milk products. The diet should contain plant foods rich in microelements and vitamins, preferably fresh, because heat treatment neutralizes most of its beneficial properties. It is advisable to replace sugar with honey.

Please note that with pneumonia, patients are recommended to eat as many natural bee products as possible, which not only helps speed up recovery and strengthens the immune system, but also significantly relieves the burden on the digestive system.

Table 3 shows products that are desirable to consume during pneumonia and during the recovery period.

Product type	Characteristic	Visual representation
Bouillon	In the first days of the disease, the patient has no appetite due to elevated temperature, so unsaturated broths will be useful, and this will also relieve the digestive system somewhat.
Lean meat	Beef, chicken, turkey, rabbit and other types of meat are useful for severe illnesses because the body needs protein. You should not eat fatty varieties, such as pork or goose meat, as they are difficult to digest and contain a lot of cholesterol.
Fish and seafood	All types of fish are sources of valuable, easily digestible protein and fatty acids, which contain a lot of vitamin A and E, which helps strengthen the immune system and is important for the epithelium of lung tissue. Seafood contains iodine, which is also beneficial for the body.
Dairy and fermented milk products	From this group, fermented milk products are especially useful because they contain the microflora necessary for the intestines, which is of great importance for the gastrointestinal tract during antibiotic therapy.
Plant food	Fresh vegetables and fruits are the most valuable sources of microelements and vitamins; therefore, during periods of illness and rehabilitation, it is advisable to consume them as much as possible without heat treatment.
Juices, teas, decoctions, fortified compotes	During illness, you should drink more fluids. The best option in this case would be fortified drinks made from natural ingredients.
Cereal porridge, pasta	Porridges contain a lot of fiber and carbohydrates, so they are good for the gastrointestinal tract and are very satiating.
Bee products	The consumption of bee products is not only desirable, but also recommended for diseases of the upper or lower respiratory tract, provided that the patient is not allergic to them.	The purpose of prescribing a diet for pneumonia is to provide protective mechanisms and maintain them at the proper level. To do this, you should not eat spicy, fatty or salty foods. It is advisable to reduce the amount of fried and sweet foods. It is recommended to drink as much fluid as possible. You should drink at least two liters of pure mineral water every day. Meals should be divided into several doses - optimally six times a day in small portions. It is advisable to steam or boil food that requires heat treatment, and, if possible, eat plant foods raw. It is strictly prohibited to drink alcohol no earlier than two weeks after stopping taking medications. Preventive methods After suffering from pneumonia, in order to prevent recurrence of the disease, it is recommended to adhere to specific and nonspecific preventive measures. In the first case, this is vaccination against certain strains that cause pneumonia; in the second, this is a set of measures aimed at preventing the development of the disease: normalized work schedule, without overload and with rest breaks; ensuring the flow of fresh air into the room, constant periodic ventilation; wet cleaning indoors, especially with large concentrations of people; avoiding contact with sick people; proper and balanced diet rich in fortified foods; hardening; avoiding sudden fluctuations in body temperature (overheating or hypothermia); active healthy lifestyle, regular exercise, giving up bad habits; timely treatment of respiratory diseases; undergoing regular medical examinations and annual fluorography. You should definitely take care of the health of your gastrointestinal tract since most of our immunity depends on its condition. It is important to prevent the development of dysbiosis by consuming probiotics and fermented milk products containing cultures of beneficial bifidobacteria. Conclusion Treatment of pneumonia is carried out using antibacterial therapy, which causes a significant blow to the intestinal microbiota, weakens the immune system, and negatively affects the functioning of the excretory system, especially the kidneys, as well as the liver. Therefore, drinking alcoholic beverages is undesirable both during the hour of treatment and during the rehabilitation period. In addition, 5% of ethanol and its breakdown products are excreted through breathing through the lungs, which aggravates the pathological processes of pneumonia. People who are addicted to alcohol get sick eight times more often, and there are frequent cases of death among people belonging to this category. Thus, summing up what has been said, we can draw an obvious conclusion - if you have pneumonia, you should not drink alcohol, and also for at least a week after complete recovery.

Is it possible to drink beer after pneumonia? Is it possible or impossible to drink alcohol after pneumonia? How Trichopolum is used in the treatment of alcoholism

Why does my lung hurt after drinking alcohol?

Pneumonia – a disease of alcoholics?

Lung abscess

Tuberculosis and other diseases

Prevention of pulmonary diseases

Features of antibacterial therapy of pneumonia against the background of chronic alcohol intoxication

Why do alcoholics often suffer from bronchitis and pneumonia?

Lungs hurt after alcohol

Why does my lung hurt after drinking alcohol?

Pneumonia – a disease of alcoholics?

Lung abscess

Tuberculosis and other diseases

Prevention of pulmonary diseases

Pneumonia with alcoholism symptoms

Pneumonia due to alcohol abuse

Alcohol for pneumonia

How does alcohol affect the lungs and can you drink if you have pneumonia? Expert advice

Characteristic effects of alcoholic drinks on the body

Why does the disease develop in patients with alcoholism?

Can I drink during and after treatment?

Features of aspiration pneumonia

Conclusion

Pneumonia in alcoholics. Causes of death from pneumonia in alcoholics.

Causes of death from pneumonia in alcoholics

Aspiration pneumonia remains common among alcoholics.

Pleural effusion occurs in alcoholism for various reasons.

Help-Alco.ru

Is it possible to drink alcohol if you have a cold, pneumonia, or acute respiratory viral infection?

Alcohol for colds

Negative aspects of treatment

When is alcohol not harmful?

Alcohol for the flu

Alcohol during and after pneumonia

Is it possible or impossible to drink alcohol after pneumonia?

Recovery after illness

The effects of alcohol on the body

The effect of alcohol on the risk of pneumonia

Treatment with antibiotics

Side effects of antibacterial therapy and alcohol

Rehabilitation

Sanitary resort treatment

Gymnastics

Preventive methods

Conclusion