DOI: 10.36347/sjams.2017.v5i08.021

Pages: 3065-3067

Nosocomial infections are common and can increase disease morbidity in patients. Hospital Acquired Pneumonia (HAP) and Ventilator Associated Pneumonia (VAP) are among the leading causes for nosocomial infections. They also constitute one of the leading causes for morbidity and mortality among the nosocomial infections. The present study was done to evaluate the presence of comorbidities in patients developing Hospital Acquired Pneumonia and Ventilator Acquired Pneumonia. The study was conducted on all patients above 16 years of age diagnosed with HAP and VAP admitted and treated at Yenepoya Medical College Hospital, Mangalore from October 2013 to October 2015. It is a descriptive study in which 50 patients of hospital acquired and ventilator associated pneumonia were observed for the presence of any comorbidities. In the 50 cases, it was observed that 72% of them had pre-respiratory illness, 42% had Diabetes Mellitus, 38% had Systemic Hypertension and 20% had Ischemic Heart Disease. It was observed that most of the cases of hospital acquired and ventilator associated pneumonias had pre-existing respiratory illness. However, the presence of comorbidities also increased the chance for HAP and VAP.