When is antibiotic treatment recommended for pneumonia?

Pneumonia is an infection affecting the air sacs and surrounding tissue in the lungs. A clinician considers cough, fever, breathlessness, chest discomfort, oxygen level, breathing rate, age, and other health conditions. A chest X-ray or other test may be needed when the diagnosis or severity is uncertain.

Some pneumonias are caused by viruses, for which antibiotics do not work. Bacterial pneumonia can worsen without appropriate treatment, so a person who is significantly unwell may need prompt assessment and treatment in a clinic or hospital.

Follow the prescribed antibiotic schedule, rest, drink fluids if able, and use only recommended fever or pain medicines. Do not stop treatment because breathing or fever improves early, and do not use someone else’s antibiotics.

Monitor breathing, alertness, fluid intake, and temperature trends. People with long-term lung disease, heart disease, reduced immunity, or frailty should contact their clinician early because their condition can change quickly.

Seek emergency care for severe difficulty breathing, blue or grey lips, new confusion, fainting, inability to stay awake, or chest pain that is severe or worsening. These signs can indicate that the lungs are not providing enough oxygen or that another emergency is present.

Contact a clinician promptly if fever or breathlessness worsens, you cannot keep fluids down, you cough blood, or you are not improving within the timeframe given. Children with fast breathing, poor feeding, or unusual sleepiness need urgent assessment.

Ask whether pneumonia is likely bacterial, which warning signs to monitor, when improvement should begin, and whether your other medicines or lung conditions change the treatment plan.