Which of the following is a complication tied to untreated pneumonia?

Prepare for the Lippincott Respiratory Exam with multiple choice questions and detailed explanations. Enhance your knowledge and boost your confidence for success!

Untreated pneumonia can lead to several serious complications, each linked to how the disease progresses without proper antibiotic treatment or medical intervention.

Pneumothorax occurs when air leaks into the space between the lung and the chest wall, which can happen if severe pneumonia leads to a rupture of a bleb or if the infection causes significant inflammation and damage to lung tissue.

Pulmonary fibrosis may develop as a consequence of inflammation and scarring in the lungs following an unresolved or severe pneumonia, leading to impairments in gas exchange due to stiff and less compliant lung tissue.

Pulmonary hypertension, which involves an increase in blood pressure within the pulmonary arteries, can arise from chronic lung conditions, including those that may result from untreated pneumonia. The ongoing inflammation and hypoxia can contribute to vascular changes that elevate pulmonary artery pressures.

The presence of these potential complications underscores the importance of timely diagnosis and treatment of pneumonia to prevent serious outcomes. Thus, all of these options are indeed complications associated with untreated pneumonia.

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