ABSTRACT
Pneumonia Severe pneumonia can precipitate respiratory distress. Lobar pneumonia, usually bacterial in origin, demonstrates crackles over the affected region. Dullness to percussion, decreased breath sounds, and bronchial breathing may be present as well. The findings are often variable depending on the severity of the pneumonia and the presence of coexisting ill nesses, such as cardiac pulmonary edema or COPD. Viral pneumonia may present with little or no auscultatory abnormalities even when the chest x-ray is diffusely abnormal, or it may be associated with diffuse crackles throughout the lungs.
