Duration of therapy for CAP in residents of an aged-care facility

If a pathogen is identified in a resident with CAP, see Directed therapy for pneumonia for modification and duration of therapy.

The usual duration of therapy for CAP in residents of an aged-care facility is 5 days. Consider stopping antibiotic therapy on review at day 3 if the resident is clinically stable (eg normal heart rate, respiratory rate, oxygen saturation and temperature)Dinh, 2021.

Residents who are not clinically stable by day 5 are at a higher risk of mortality and worse clinical outcomesDinh, 2021Royer, 2018Tansarli, 2018Vaughn, 2019. If pneumonia remains the likely diagnosis and the resident is managed in the facility, reassess the need for hospital admission. See Approach to managing adults with CAP who are not improving for further considerations.

A longer duration of therapy is required for residents with lung abscess, complicated parapneumonic effusion or empyema complicating pneumonia.

For strategies to prevent further episodes of pneumonia, see Prevention of CAP in adults.