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Published on: June 28, 2018

A case of bipolar affective disorder and aspiration pneumonia

Alessandro Gerada1, Gaetano Dell'erba

  • 1Lucille Van Geest Centre, Thorpe Road, Peterborough, Cambridgeshire PE3 6DA, UK.

Case Reports in Psychiatry
|August 20, 2013
PubMed

Insights

Adults with mental illness face increased aspiration pneumonia risk. This case study highlights predisposing factors in a bipolar disorder patient experiencing mania-related aspiration pneumonia, including medication side effects and excessive thirst.

Area of Science:

  • Medicine
  • Psychiatry
  • Pulmonology

Background:

  • Adults with mental illness have a higher risk of aspiration pneumonia.
  • Aspiration pneumonia is a serious complication that can arise in individuals with psychiatric disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To describe a case of aspiration pneumonia in a patient with bipolar affective disorder.
  • To identify predisposing factors contributing to aspiration pneumonia in the context of acute mania.

Main Methods:

  • Case report detailing a patient with bipolar affective disorder.
  • Analysis of clinical presentation, medical history, and contributing factors during two episodes of aspiration pneumonia.

Main Results:

  • The patient experienced two distinct episodes of aspiration pneumonia.
  • Predisposing factors identified include hyperverbosity, sedative medications, polydipsia (psychogenic and secondary to diabetes insipidus), and neuroleptic side effects.

Conclusions:

  • Mental illness, particularly bipolar disorder during acute mania, presents unique risks for aspiration pneumonia.
  • Recognizing and managing factors like medication side effects and fluid balance is crucial for preventing aspiration pneumonia in this population.

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