Lower Respiratory Tract Infections

Lower respiratory tract infections are common and are important in the critical care setting either because they precipitate admission to the critical care unit, e.g. severe viral pneumonia or because they complicate the course of a patient with significant underlying disease or following major surgery, e.g. after multiple trauma. Furthermore, respiratory failure requiring artifical ventialtion is a well recognised reason for critical care support but it can be difficult to determine if this is due to an underlying non-infectious condition such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), infection or a combination of both. The early diagnosis and management of respiratory infection combined with appropriate ventilatory support aids prognosis and the efficient use of critical care facilities given the number of patients affected.