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Medical Treatment

Evaluation and treatment vary. Almost everyone will have measurements of blood pressure, oxygen level, heart rate, and respiratory rate.

In many people with chemical pneumonia, treatment is primarily observation. Sometimes symptoms develop over time and the amount of damage done won't be totally known for several hours.

Many treatments are possible, including the following:

• IV fluids
  
  
• Oxygen by mask or tube

• Breathing treatment with medicine to open breathing tubes

• Steroid medications by IV or mouth

• Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory medications by mouth

• Pain medications by IV or mouth

• Artificial ventilation (help breathing)

• Preventive antibiotics (sometimes)

• Antidotes (rarely)