PNEUMONIA IN MODERN CLINICAL PRACTICE ETIOLOGY DIAGNOSTIC STRATEGIES TREATMENT AND PREVENTION
Keywords:
Pneumonia; community-acquired pneumonia; respiratory infection; antimicrobial stewardship; hypoxemia; vaccination.Abstract
Pneumonia is an acute infection of the lung parenchyma that can range from a self-limited illness to respiratory failure and sepsis. Its clinical course reflects the interaction between the pathogen, host defenses, underlying disease, and the timing of effective care. This narrative review examines adult pneumonia, with particular emphasis on community-acquired disease. It summarizes etiological patterns, alveolar inflammation, clinical presentation, diagnostic assessment, severity evaluation, treatment principles, and prevention. Recent guidance supports individualized diagnostic testing, careful interpretation of positive viral results, and antibiotic duration guided by clinical stability and disease severity. Severe disease requires prompt respiratory and circulatory support alongside appropriate antimicrobial therapy. Corticosteroids have a role in selected severe presentations rather than routine use in all patients. Vaccination, smoking cessation, aspiration prevention, and planned follow-up complement acute treatment. An integrated approach can improve recovery while reducing unnecessary antibiotic exposure and delayed recognition of complications.References
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