Abstract
Community-acquired pneumonia is a frequent cause of morbidity and mortality in the elderly. Antimicrobial treatment should be initiated before the patient leaves the emergency department. Treatment is empirical and should cover typical pathogens and, if patient risk is identified, also atypical pathogens such as meticillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Special concerns in the elderly include the increased risk of adverse drug effects and comorbidity exacerbation. As prevention is ideal, patients should receive appropriate pneumococcus and influenza vaccinations.
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The article was adapted from Drugs & Aging 2017;34(1):13–20 [1] by employees of Adis/Springer, who are responsible for the article content and declare no conflicts of interest. The preparation of this review was not supported by any external funding.
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Adis Medical Writers. Treat elderly patients hospitalized for community-acquired pneumonia early based on infection severity and risk factors. Drugs Ther Perspect 33, 424–428 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40267-017-0430-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40267-017-0430-x