Some antibiotics for bacterial pneumonia, such as amoxicillin+clavulanate, azithromycin, levofloxacin or vancomycin, may be recommended by the pulmonologist to eliminate the bacteria that cause pneumonia, relieving symptoms such as cough, high fever or difficulty breathing.
These antibiotics are most often used orally, however, in some cases, especially in people with HIV, the elderly and children, or those hospitalized, the antibiotic can be administered as an injection into a vein.
The treatment of bacterial pneumonia with antibiotics must be carried out under the guidance of a pulmonologist according to the bacteria related to the disease. Additionally, other treatments may be necessary, such as respiratory physiotherapy, to help eliminate secretions and improve breathing.
See the following video for more information about bacterial pneumonia:
8 antibiotics for pneumonia
The main antibiotics that may be prescribed by your doctor for bacterial pneumonia are:
1. Amoxicillin
Amoxicillin is an antibiotic from the penicillin class, which is generally the first treatment option for community-acquired bacterial pneumonia in adults or children who are not allergic to penicillins.
This antibiotic is capable of eliminating the most common bacteria that cause bacterial sinusitis, such as Streptococcus pneumoniae, Staphylococcus aureus, Haemophilus influenzaefor example.
Amoxicillin can be found in the form of tablets, capsules or oral suspension, as a generic or under the names Amoxil, Novocilin, Velamox or Amoximed, for example.
In addition to amoxicillin, the doctor may also recommend the use of amoxicillin+clavulanate in people who are allergic or intolerant to macrolides, such as clarithromycin, azithromycin or erythromycin, for example. Find out how to take amoxicillin and amoxicillin+clavulanate.
2. Azithromycin
Azithromycin is an antibiotic from the macrolide class that is generally indicated for uncomplicated bacterial pneumonia, as it combats most of the bacteria that cause bacterial pneumonia, including Legionella pneumophila it’s at Mycoplasma pneumoniae.
Generally, the dose of azithromycin for the treatment of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia is 500 mg, in a single dose per day, for 3 days, applied into a vein in the hospital.
Treatment can also be carried out with azithromycin in the form of tablets or oral suspension, at a dose of 500 mg, once a day, for 3 to 5 days, as advised by the pulmonologist. See how to take azithromycin.
3. Clarithromycin
Clarithromycin is another antibiotic from the macrolide class that acts by eliminating bacteria that cause bacterial pneumonia, including species Mycoplasma e Legionella.
This antibiotic must be used orally, in the form of a tablet or suspension, generally for 10 days of treatment, as indicated by the pulmonologist.
4. Levofloxacino
Levofloxacin, like moxifloxacin and gatifloxacin, is an antibiotic of the fluoroquinolone class indicated for the treatment of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia caused by various bacteria, including the bacterium Streptococcus pneumoniae resistant to penicillins.
This antibiotic must be taken orally, and the normally recommended dose is 1 tablet of 500 mg or 750 mg in a single daily dose, that is, every 24 hours, for 7 to 14 days, as advised by the pulmonologist. Find out how to take levofloxacin.
5. Doxycycline
Doxycycline is an antibiotic from the tetracycline class that acts by interfering in the metabolism of bacteria that cause bacterial pneumonia, preventing their proliferation, and may be indicated for people allergic or intolerant to penicillins or macrolides.
This antibiotic can be found in the form of tablets and the doses normally recommended for adults are 100 mg, twice a day, or 200 mg once a day, according to medical advice. See how to take doxycycline.
6. Ceftriaxone
Ceftriaxone is an antibiotic from the cephalosporin class indicated for the treatment of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia, being applied into a vein in the hospital by a nurse under medical supervision.
The normally recommended dose for adults and children over 12 years of age is 1 to 2 g of ceftriaxone sodium in a single daily dose, that is, every 24 hours, for the duration of treatment established by the doctor.
Another antibiotic from the cephalosporin class that may be recommended by your doctor is cefuroxime.
7. Vancomycin
Vancomycin is another injectable antibiotic for the treatment of severe bacterial pneumonia, as it eliminates gram-positive bacteria that cause bacterial pneumonia, including Staphylococcus aureus resistant to methicillin.
This antibiotic must be applied directly into the vein in the hospital by the nurse, and the recommended doses for adults are 2 g per day, divided into doses of 500 mg every 6 hours, or 1 g every 12 hours, for the determined treatment time. by the doctor.
8. Meropenem
Meropenem, as well as ertapenem and imipenem, are antibiotics from the carbapenem class, indicated for community-acquired bacterial apneumonia, caused by gram-positive or gram-negative bacteria, including Staphylococcus aureus multirresistente.
These antibiotics are injectable and must be applied by nurses in the hospital, under medical supervision.
Other treatments for bacterial pneumonia
Some treatments that can complement the use of antibiotics for bacterial pneumonia include resting, drinking plenty of water during the day and eating a healthy, balanced diet.
Furthermore, in some cases, the doctor may recommend the use of corticosteroids or bronchodilators, in addition to respiratory physiotherapy, to avoid complications and improve faster.
See how food can help with recovery in this video:
Care during treatment
During treatment with antibiotics, the antibiotic must be used at the correct times and for the duration of treatment established by the pulmonologist, even if symptoms improve quickly, in order to avoid bacterial resistance that can make the treatment of the infection more difficult and take longer. , in addition to being able to worsen symptoms.
Bacterial pneumonia is not transmitted from person to person, so the patient does not need to be isolated from other people, but it is important to avoid contact with others to facilitate your own recovery. Understand better what bacterial pneumonia is and how it is transmitted.
Signs of improvement and worsening
Signs of improvement usually appear around 3 days after starting treatment with antibiotics, with a reduction in fever, cough and phlegm, as well as a reduction in shortness of breath and difficulty breathing.
On the other hand, when treatment is not started soon after the onset of signs and symptoms of the disease, it is possible that signs of worsening may be observed, such as an increase or persistence of fever, cough with phlegm, and there may be traces of blood and increased blood pressure. shortness of breath and difficulty breathing.
The worsening may also be related to infections in other parts of the body or to the poor choice of antibiotics used, their combination or dosage.
Possible complications
In some cases, bacterial pneumonia can worsen, causing death of lung tissue or accumulation of pus in the lungs, making it necessary to take other antibiotics, perform a puncture or place a drain to eliminate the secretions.
Another possible complication that may occur is bacterial resistance to antibiotics, which can occur due to inappropriate use of antibiotics, for example. Understand why inappropriate use of antibiotics can lead to resistance.
