Treatment of community-acquired pneumonia

Abstract

Penicillin is the drug of choice for treatment of community-acquired pneumonia 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.