[Diagnosis and treatment in general practice of lower respiratory tract infections in adults]

Abstract

Lower respiratory tract infections are common in the community. It might be difficult to differentiate between acute bronchitis, exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, and pneumonia. There is no satisfactory way of defining pneumonia by clinical criteria alone. Measurement of C-reactive protein is useful, but the specificity of the test is low, and must be carefully evaluated in comparison with the duration of illness and the clinical picture. The antibiotic management of lower respiratory tract infections must suppress Streptococcus pneumoniae. We therefore recommend that the first drug of choice should be penicillin V.