Antibiotic treatment in community acquired pneumonia (CAP)
- assess severity in adults based on clinical judgement guided by mortality risk score (CRB65 or CURB65):
- low severity – CRB65 0 or CURB65 0 or 1
- moderate severity – CRB65 1 or 2 or CURB65 2
- high severity – CRB65 3 or 4 or CURB65 3 to 5
- 1 point for each parameter: confusion, (urea >7 mmol/l), respiratory rate >= 30/min, low systolic (<90 mm Hg) or diastolic (<=60 mm Hg) blood pressure, age >= 65
- assess severity in children based on clinical judgement
- offer an antibiotic. Start treatment as soon as possible after diagnosis, within 4 hours (within 1 hour if sepsis suspected and person meets any high risk criteria
- when choosing an antibiotic, take account of severity, risk of complications, local antimicrobial resistance and surveillance data, recent antibiotic use and microbiological results
- * Stop antibiotics after 5 days unless microbiological results suggest a longer course is needed or the person is not clinically stable.
Reference:
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