[Treatment of community-acquired pneumonia--treatment]

Ugeskr Laeger. 2008 Jan 14;170(3):127-30.
[Article in Danish]

Abstract

Penicillin is the drug of choice for treatment of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in Denmark. The primary determinant for therapeutic activity of penicillin is ''penicillin time'' (T>MIC), i.e. time with penicillin concentration above minimum inhibitory concentration. Eradication of S. pneumoniae requires T>MIC above 40-50%. The second determinant for therapeutic activity is the ratio between maximum penicillin concentration in serum and MIC (Cmax/MIC). Considering penicillin pharmacokinetics, intravenous penicillin 2 million units four times a day is recommended as empirical treatment of CAP.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Community-Acquired Infections / drug therapy*
  • Community-Acquired Infections / microbiology
  • Humans
  • Injections, Intravenous
  • Microbial Sensitivity Tests
  • Penicillins / administration & dosage
  • Penicillins / pharmacokinetics
  • Penicillins / therapeutic use*
  • Pneumonia, Pneumococcal / drug therapy*
  • Pneumonia, Pneumococcal / microbiology
  • Streptococcus pneumoniae / drug effects

Substances

  • Penicillins