Diseases, Disorders information

Smoke inhalation; fires tend to release very noxious substances. If you are burning plastics or some other substances you may have very toxic smoke. Early that is going to cause bronchospasm, some lung consolidation. As you go from a day or two, you are going to start getting pulmonary edema from capillary leak in your lungs, and as you get a little bit further out you are going to tend to get bronchopneumonia.

The therapy for this is entirely supportive. If they need airway management and ventilatory support, that’s what they get. Steroids have been advocated in the past, but in controlled trials they seem to be of no benefit and may increase the risk of infection. So steroids are no longer advocated.