Community-acquired pneumonia: selection of empirical treatment and sequential therapy. SARS-CoV-2 implications

Abstract

Pneumonia is a major cause of global mortality in developed countries. The adequacy of the antibiotic treatment is essential for the good evolution of the patients. When selecting the antimicrobial, the severity of the patient, the characteristics of the antibiotics, and the profile of the patient to be treated should be considered. Recommendations for the selection of antibiotic treatment may differ between the patient who requires admission and the one who can be treated as outpatient. Beta-lactams, fluoroquinolones, and macrolides are the most widely used antimicrobials in this last circumstance. However, not all are the same in terms of efficacy, safety and ecological impact. This review delves into the aforementioned aspects to improve decision-making and offers concrete recommendations for the selection of antibiotic treatment. Likewise, it includes recommendations for performing sequential therapy. Finally, a brief review is made about the impact of SARS-CoV-2 infection on this pathology.