Disease Description
            Definitions
     Aspiration- the inhalation of oropharyngeal 
     or gastric contents into the larynx and lower 
     respiratory tract
     Aspiration Pneumonitis- Chemical injury 
     caused by the inhalation of sterile gastric 
     contents
     Aspiration Pneumonia- Infectious process 
     caused by the inhalation of oropharyngeal 
     secretions that are colonized by pathogenic 
     bacteria
              Aspiration
     Aspiration can cause serious illnesses and even 
      death.
     Four common problems of aspiration:
       1. Failure to distinguish aspiration pneumonitis from 
       aspiration pneumonia
       2. Tendency to consider all pulmonary complications 
       of aspiration as infectious
       3. The failure to identify the spectrum of pathogens in 
       patients with infectious complications
       4. Misconception that aspiration must be witnessed 
       for it to be dx. 
             Etiology
     Half of all healthy adults aspirate.
     The human body is capable of removing 
     foreign objects by coughing
     Individuals who have problem with removing 
     foreign objects properly are at risk of 
     developing aspiration pneumonia/ 
     pneumonitis 
        Pathophysiology 
     Common cause of aspiration pneumonia is 
     the inhalation of Haemophilus influenza and 
     Streptococcus Pneumonia. 
     They are colonized in the nasopharynx or 
     oropharynex before they are aspirated.