Treatment Options in Pneumonia

Most of the cases of pneumonia are triggered by bacterial factors and are usually treated with 5-10 days of ant biotherapy, even longer in case of an impaired immune system. The doctor will choose the most appropriate antibiotic for your condition after taking notice of your age, symptoms, their severity and the eventual need for hospitalization. Most physicians recommend a broad-spectrum antibiotic with bactericide effects on a large number of bacteria; still, most of the antibiotics available have a good curing effect on pneumonia.

In less severe cases with no need for hospitalization, the doctor will prescribe you one of the next possible treatments:
1. Macrolides such as Biaxin, Biaxin XL, Ery-tab or Zithromax.
2. Tetracyclines like Doxycycline
3. Fluoroquinolones such as Levaquin or Avelox.

In case of hospital care, the mentioned antibiotics may also be administered but in addition, other several ones are available for more severe cases of pneumonia:
1. Cephalosporines like Ceclor, Duricef or Ceftin.
2. Penicillin like Augumentin, Amoxil, Omnipen, Biomox or Timentin
3. Vancomycin
Mild to moderate pneumonia cases can also be cured with a new-generation antibiotic class called Ketolides.

In healthy young subjects, the effects of the proper ant biotherapy must usually be seen in about 2-3 days. If by this time the symptoms show no real amelioration, you might need bacterial culture and testing for sensitivity to antibiotics. This will allow the physician to determine which organism is responsible for your pneumonia type and whether you have developed resistance to that particular antibiotic.

Hospitalization is only requited in over 65 years old patients, associated conditions like diabetes, heart or kidney failure, severe illness with hypoxia, severe chest pain, no real improvements after therapy or the impossibility to eat or keep food when in this case intravenous feeding is required.

Pneumonia can also be caused by viruses similar to the Influenza causing the flu or the varicella-zoster virus causing chicken-pox. For viral types of pneumonia there is currently no actual treatment except home stay, care and treatment for the symptoms. Pneumonia cases caused by Varicella virus can be cured by using the medication called Acyclovir.

If your case is not severe enough to require hospitalization, you will not need to identify the responsible bacteria. If you have been hospitalized, additional testing will be done to find the exact cause of pneumonia. If you immediately start the ant biotherapy you will see a faster improvement and you will rapidly feel better.

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