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Respiratory Distress Syndrome

Community-Acquired Pneumonia: A Review

Author/s: 
Valerie M Vaughn, Robert P Dickson, Jennifer K Horowit, Scott A Flanders

Importance: Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) results in approximately 1.4 million emergency department visits, 740 000 hospitalizations, and 41 000 deaths in the US annually.

Observations: Community-acquired pneumonia can be diagnosed in a patient with 2 or more signs (eg, temperature >38 °C or ≤36 °C; leukocyte count <4000/μL or >10 000/μL) or symptoms (eg, new or increased cough or dyspnea) of pneumonia in conjunction with consistent radiographic findings (eg, air space density) without an alternative explanation. Up to 10% of patients with CAP are hospitalized; of those, up to 1 in 5 require intensive care. Older adults (≥65 years) and those with underlying lung disease, smoking, or immune suppression are at highest risk for CAP and complications of CAP, including sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, and death. Only 38% of patients hospitalized with CAP have a pathogen identified. Of those patients, up to 40% have viruses identified as the likely cause of CAP, with Streptococcus pneumoniae identified in approximately 15% of patients with an identified etiology of the pneumonia. All patients with CAP should be tested for COVID-19 and influenza when these viruses are common in the community because their diagnosis may affect treatment (eg, antiviral therapy) and infection prevention strategies. If test results for influenza and COVID-19 are negative or when the pathogens are not likely etiologies, patients can be treated empirically to cover the most likely bacterial pathogens. When selecting empirical antibacterial therapy, clinicians should consider disease severity and evaluate the likelihood of a bacterial infection-or resistant infection-and risk of harm from overuse of antibacterial drugs. Hospitalized patients without risk factors for resistant bacteria can be treated with β-lactam/macrolide combination therapy, such as ceftriaxone combined with azithromycin, for a minimum of 3 days. Systemic corticosteroid administration within 24 hours of development of severe CAP may reduce 28-day mortality.

Conclusions: Community-acquired pneumonia is common and may result in sepsis, acute respiratory distress syndrome, or death. First-line therapy varies by disease severity and etiology. Hospitalized patients with suspected bacterial CAP and without risk factors for resistant bacteria can be treated with β-lactam/macrolide combination therapy, such as ceftriaxone combined with azithromycin, for a minimum of 3 days.

Keywords 
community acquired pneumonia pneumonia

2022 International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science With Treatment Recommendations

Author/s: 
Wyckoff, M. H., Greif, R., Morely, P. T., Ng, K., Olasveengen, T. M., Singletary, E. M., Soar, J., Cheng, A., Drennan, I. R., Liley, H. G., Scholefield, B. R., Smyth, M. A., Welsford, M., Zideman, D. A., Acworth, J., Aickin, R., Andersen, L. W., Atkins, D., Berry, D. C., Bhanji, F., Bierens, J., Borra, V., Böttiger, B. W., Bradley, R. N., Bray, J. E., Breckwoldt, J., Callaway, C. W., Carlson, J. N., Cassan, P., Castrén, M., Chang, W., Charlton, N. P., Chung, S. P., Considine, J., Costa-Nobre, D. T., Couper, K., Couto, T. B., Dainty, K. N., Davis, P. G., Fernanda de Almeida, M., R. de Caen, A., Deakin, C. D., Djärv, T., Donnino, M. W., Douma, M. J., Duff, J. P., Dunne, C. L., Eastwood, K., El-Naggar, W., Fabres, J. G., Fawke, J., Finn, J., Fogila, E. E., Folke, F., Gilfoyle, E., Goolsby, C. A., Granfeldt, A., Guerguerian, A., Guinsburg, R., Hirsch, K. G., Holmberg, M. J., Hosono, S., Hsieh, M., Hsu, C. H., Ikeyama, T., Isayama, T., Johnson, N. J., Kapadia, V. S., Kawakami, M. D., Kim, H., Kleinman, M., Kloeck, D. A., Kudenchuk, P. J., Lagina, A. T., Lauridsen, K. G., Lavonas, E. J., Lee, H. C., Lin, Y. J., Lockey, A. S., Maconochie, I. K., Madar, R. J., Hansen, C. M., Masterson, S., Matsuyama, T., McKinlay, C. J. D., Meyran, D., Morgan, P., Morrison, L. J., Nadkarni, V., Nakwa, F. L., Nation, K. J., Nehme, Z., Nemeth, M., Neumar, R. W., Nicholson, T., Nikolaou, N., Nishiyama, C., Norii, T., Nuthall, G. A., O'Neill, B. J., Ong, Y. G., Orkin, A. M., Paiva, E. F., Parr, M. J., Patocka, C., Pellegrino, J. F., Perkins, G. D., Perlman, J. M., Rabi, Y., Reis, A. G., Reynolds, J. C., Ristagno, G., Rodriguez-Nunez, A., Roehr, C. C., Rüdiger, M., Sakamota, T., Sandroni, C., Sawyer, T. L., Schexnayder, S. M., Schmölzer, G. M., Schnaubelt, S., Semeraro, F., Skrifvars, M. B., Smith, C. M., Sugiura, T., Tijssen, J. A., Trevisanuto, D., Van de Voorde, P., Wang, T., Weiner, G. M., Wyllie, J. P., Yang, C., Yeung, J., Nolan, J. P., Berg, K. M.

This is the sixth annual summary of the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation International Consensus on Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation and Emergency Cardiovascular Care Science With Treatment Recommendations. This summary addresses the most recently published resuscitation evidence reviewed by International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation Task Force science experts. Topics covered by systematic reviews include cardiopulmonary resuscitation during transport; approach to resuscitation after drowning; passive ventilation; minimizing pauses during cardiopulmonary resuscitation; temperature management after cardiac arrest; use of diagnostic point-of-care ultrasound during cardiac arrest; use of vasopressin and corticosteroids during cardiac arrest; coronary angiography after cardiac arrest; public-access defibrillation devices for children; pediatric early warning systems; maintaining normal temperature immediately after birth; suctioning of amniotic fluid at birth; tactile stimulation for resuscitation immediately after birth; use of continuous positive airway pressure for respiratory distress at term birth; respiratory and heart rate monitoring in the delivery room; supraglottic airway use in neonates; prearrest prediction of in-hospital cardiac arrest mortality; basic life support training for likely rescuers of high-risk populations; effect of resuscitation team training; blended learning for life support training; training and recertification for resuscitation instructors; and recovery position for maintenance of breathing and prevention of cardiac arrest. Members from 6 task forces have assessed, discussed, and debated the quality of the evidence using Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation criteria and generated consensus treatment recommendations. Insights into the deliberations of the task forces are provided in the Justification and Evidence-to-Decision Framework Highlights sections, and priority knowledge gaps for future research are listed.

Keywords 
AHA Scientific Statements Advanced life support basic life support cardiac arrest first aid resuscitation
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