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Also known as: CAP · chest infection · lower respiratory tract infection
Acute lower-respiratory infection acquired outside hospital — fever, cough, sputum and breathlessness with a new infiltrate on chest X-ray. Streptococcus pneumoniae is the commonest cause.
All ages; risk rises at the extremes of age and with smoking, COPD, diabetes, heart failure, alcohol use and immunosuppression.
Mild CAP, outpatient (first-line)
Caution: Add or substitute a macrolide (e.g. azithromycin) if atypical infection is suspected.
Moderate–severe CAP, inpatient
Penicillin allergy / atypical cover
Caution: Reserve fluoroquinolones per stewardship; check QT and tendon-risk cautions.
Guidelines change. If something here is out of date, tell us — we keep these current.
🚩 Report outdated / suggest update