This Article Full Text (PDF) References Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Pass, S. E. Articles by Young, E. J. Search for Related Content Social Bookmarking                   What's this?

Short-Course Antimicrobial Therapy for the Treatment of Pneumonia

University Hospital, Department of Pharmacy Services, 234 Goodman Street, ML 0740, Cincinnati, OH 45219-2316;passse{at}healthall.com

Michelle M. Gearhart, PharmD

critical care, University Hospital, Department of Pharmacy Services, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Emily J. Young, PharmD

University Hospital, Department of Pharmacy Services, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Duration of antimicrobial therapy for the treatment of pneumonia has been inconsistent and is typically at the discretion of the prescriber. Themost common durations of therapy are 7, 10, or 14 days, but courses of 14 days or longer have also been used. Newer data support the use of clinical data to identify resolution of infection, such as defervescence, normalizing white blood cell count, and absence of infiltrate on chest radiograph. Discontinuation of antimicrobials 48 to 72 hours after such clinical resolution may allow for shorter courses of therapy with equivalent efficacy as the more arbitrary end points of 7 to 14 days. The intent of this article is to review the rationale, potential benefit, and relevant studies pertaining to the use of short-course antimicrobial regimens for the treatment of community-acquired and ventilatorassociated pneumonia.

Key Words: Pneumonia • community-acquired pneumonia • ventilator-associated pneumonia • antimicrobials • short course

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    What's this?