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Lower respiratory tract infections and community acquired pneumonia in adults.
Aust Fam Physician. 2004 May; 33(5):297-301.AF

Abstract

BACKGROUND

Lower respiratory tract infections--acute bronchitis and community acquired pneumonia (CAP)--are important causes of morbidity in Australia. Acute bronchitis is often treated with antibiotics, although the cause is usually viral. Community acquired pneumonia may be fatal, particularly in the elderly, therefore appropriate assessment and management is essential.

OBJECTIVE

This article describes the aetiology, clinical assessment, investigations and management of acute bronchitis and CAP in the community.

DISCUSSION

Clinical assessment is important for acute bronchitis and CAP, with investigations such as C reactive protein, serology, and chest X-ray informing diagnosis and management of the latter. Causative organisms are usually not identified, but are presumed to be viral for acute bronchitis, and Streptococcus pneumoniae for CAP; although 'atypicals' are also important. Antibiotics should generally not be prescribed for acute bronchitis, however, there is some evidence they may provide limited benefits in patients who have chest signs, are very unwell, are older, have comorbidities, or smoke. In patients with CAP, treated outside of hospital, the combination of amoxycillin and doxycycline/roxithromycin is the treatment of choice.

Authors+Show Affiliations

Stocks N
Department of General Practice, University of Adelaide, South Australia. nigel.stocks@adelaide.edu.au
Turnidge J
No affiliation info available
Crockett A
No affiliation info available

MeSH

Acute DiseaseAdultAnti-Bacterial AgentsBronchitisChlamydiaCommunity-Acquired InfectionsDiagnosis, DifferentialFamily PracticeFemaleHospitalizationHumansLegionellaMaleMycoplasmaPneumoniaRadiography, ThoracicRespiratory Sounds

Pub Type(s)

Case Reports
Journal Article
Review

Language

eng

PubMed ID

15227857

Citation

Stocks, Nigel, et al. "Lower Respiratory Tract Infections and Community Acquired Pneumonia in Adults." Australian Family Physician, vol. 33, no. 5, 2004, pp. 297-301.
Stocks N, Turnidge J, Crockett A. Lower respiratory tract infections and community acquired pneumonia in adults. Aust Fam Physician. 2004;33(5):297-301.
Stocks, N., Turnidge, J., & Crockett, A. (2004). Lower respiratory tract infections and community acquired pneumonia in adults. Australian Family Physician, 33(5), 297-301.
Stocks N, Turnidge J, Crockett A. Lower Respiratory Tract Infections and Community Acquired Pneumonia in Adults. Aust Fam Physician. 2004;33(5):297-301. PubMed PMID: 15227857.
* Article titles in AMA citation format should be in sentence-case
TY - JOUR T1 - Lower respiratory tract infections and community acquired pneumonia in adults. AU - Stocks,Nigel, AU - Turnidge,John, AU - Crockett,Alan, PY - 2004/7/2/pubmed PY - 2004/9/14/medline PY - 2004/7/2/entrez SP - 297 EP - 301 JF - Australian family physician JO - Aust Fam Physician VL - 33 IS - 5 N2 - BACKGROUND: Lower respiratory tract infections--acute bronchitis and community acquired pneumonia (CAP)--are important causes of morbidity in Australia. Acute bronchitis is often treated with antibiotics, although the cause is usually viral. Community acquired pneumonia may be fatal, particularly in the elderly, therefore appropriate assessment and management is essential. OBJECTIVE: This article describes the aetiology, clinical assessment, investigations and management of acute bronchitis and CAP in the community. DISCUSSION: Clinical assessment is important for acute bronchitis and CAP, with investigations such as C reactive protein, serology, and chest X-ray informing diagnosis and management of the latter. Causative organisms are usually not identified, but are presumed to be viral for acute bronchitis, and Streptococcus pneumoniae for CAP; although 'atypicals' are also important. Antibiotics should generally not be prescribed for acute bronchitis, however, there is some evidence they may provide limited benefits in patients who have chest signs, are very unwell, are older, have comorbidities, or smoke. In patients with CAP, treated outside of hospital, the combination of amoxycillin and doxycycline/roxithromycin is the treatment of choice. SN - 0300-8495 UR - https://www.unboundmedicine.com/medline/citation/15227857/Lower_respiratory_tract_infections_and_community_acquired_pneumonia_in_adults_ DB - PRIME DP - Unbound Medicine ER -