[Compliance with guidelines for the management of community acquired pneumonia at primary health care centers].
BACKGROUND
Community acquired pneumonia (CAP) has a high mortality rate among older people. To increase its treatment efficiency, the Chilean Ministry of Health elaborated a clinical management guideline for CAP.


OBJECTIVE
To assess the degree of compliance with the clinical guidelines for CAP among professionals working at primary health care centers.


METHODS
A follow up of a cohort of 2,797 subjects aged 67 years or more, incorporated to a clinical study. All cases of bronchopneumonia or pneumonia diagnosed at primary health care centers between September 2005 and June 2008 were recorded.


RESULTS
During the follow up period, 192 cases of CAP were diagnosed. A chest X-ray was requested in 81% of cases and a confirmation consultation was done in 58%. Amoxicillin/ Clavulanic acid was the most common antimicrobial prescription in 61% of cases, followed by Clarithromycin in 17% and Amoxicillin in 12%. The antimicrobial used was not registered in 5% of cases.


CONCLUSIONS
The clinical guidelines improve the efficiency of CAP treatment and decrease complications. However, these guidelines must been complemented with an adequate training and supervision of health care teams.
Sánchez
Hugo
H
Unidad de Salud Pública y Nutrición, Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología en Alimentos, Universidad de Chile. hsanchez@inta.cl
Albala
Cecilia
C
Dangour
Alan D
AD
Uauy
Ricardo
R
D000368:Aged; D002677:Chile; D015331:Cohort Studies; D017714:Community-Acquired Infections / Q000188:drug therapy; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D019983:Guideline Adherence / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*