TABLE 6

Initial antibiotic therapy for community-acquired pneumonia

Outpatients without comorbiditiesa
Amoxicillin
Or doxycycline
Or a macrolide
Outpatients with comorbidities
Combination therapy:
 Amoxicillin/clavulanate or a cephalosporin
 Plus a macrolide or doxycycline
Or monotherapy with a fluoroquinolone
Patients on a medical floor
A fluoroquinolone
Or a combination of a beta-lactam plus a macrolide
Intensive care patients
A beta-lactam
Plus either a macrolide or a fluoroquinolone
Add coverage as needed for:
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA)
Pseudomonas aeruginosa
Influenza A
  • a Comorbidities include heart, lung, liver, or renal disease, diabetes mellitus, alcoholism, malignancy, and asplenia

  • Based on information from reference 1.