Pneumonia: CAR HAP and other types

摘要

THE term "respiratory tract infection" (RTI) describes any infection of the upper or lower airway. A quarter of the population visit a GP each year because of an RTI, and approximately 60 per cent of all antibiotics prescribed in general practice are to treat these types of infection,1 despite the limited evidence for efficacy of antibiotics in many cases. Pneumonia is an acute respiratory illness affecting the distal airways of the respiratory tract and lung parenchyma (ie, the lower respiratory tract). Unlike other lower respiratory tract infections (LRTIs), such as acute bronchitis, bronchiolitis and tracheitis, pneumonia is one of the leading causes of mortality, with four million deaths worldwide each year. Consequently it is important that pneumonia is accurately diagnosed and promptly treated. Definitions of different categories of pneumonia are given in Panel 1.