Choice of Antibiotics for Pneumonia
Many classes of antibiotics can treat
pneumonia. The antibiotic your doctor chooses
generally will be based on:
- Your age.
- Your
symptoms.
- How severe your pneumonia is.
- Other medical
problems that you might have.
- What type of bacteria may be causing
your pneumonia. Most cases of bacterial pneumonia in otherwise healthy people
are caused by Streptococcus pneumoniae and
Mycoplasma pneumoniae. Several other bacteria may cause
pneumonia in the very young, older adults, and those with other
diseases.
- Whether you have a type of bacteria that some medicines
can no longer kill (resistant bacteria).
- Whether you are
allergic to any antibiotics.
Your doctor's choice of antibiotics may also depend on whether
you:
- Are otherwise healthy and do not have to go to a
hospital for treatment.
- Have other medical conditions but still do
not have to go to the hospital.
- Have to go to the hospital.
- Have to go to an intensive care unit.
Choosing an antibiotic based on these factors avoids the need for
extensive
culture and sensitivity testing and allows for rapid
treatment that has a high rate of cure.
Credits
| By | Healthwise Staff |
| Primary Medical Reviewer | E. Gregory Thompson, MD - Internal Medicine |
| Specialist Medical Reviewer | R. Steven Tharratt, MD, MPVM, FACP, FCCP - Pulmonology, Critical Care Medicine, Medical Toxicology |
| Last Revised | March 17, 2011 |