My husband has heart failure copd,last year he was in hospital for over a month with pneumonia his health has never recovered to as it was before this incident . This year his chest seems to be worse than ever how do I recognise if pneumonia is starting again what can I do ? .He s not had the flue jab this year .
Thanks for your question on Chat Doctor. COPD is a risk factor for pneumonia.  And with heart failure, the chances of pneumonia will be high. So to know whether your husband is suffering from pneumonia or not, please follow these investigations. 1. CBC (Complete Blood Count) if show high WBC count than possibility of infection is high.2. Chest x-ray. If this shows consolidation or infiltration then it is due to pneumonia only.3. If chest x-ray is inconclusive then get done CT THORAX. 4. Sputum routine examination and sputum culture for isolation of causative bacteria. 5. If sputum production is not present than Bronchoscopy and BAD (Bronchi Alveolar Lavage) analysis. So better to consult pulmonologist and discuss all these to diagnose pneumonia in your husband.