Pneumonia in the elderly.
Pneumonia is a frequent cause of mortality and morbidity in the elderly. This article discusses pneumonia in the elderly based on causative organisms and sites where the pneumonia was acquired. Community-acquired pneumonia, nursing home-acquired pneumonia and nosocomial pneumonia in the elderly are reviewed from a diagnostic and therapeutic perspective. Optimal antimicrobial therapy is based on knowledge of the pulmonary pathogens associated with community-acquired, nursing home-acquired and nosocomial pneumonias. Antibiotic dosing should take into account the functional action of the liver and kidneys in individuals of advanced age.
Cunha
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Infectious Disease Division, Winthrop-University Hospital, Mineola, New York 11501, USA.