Treatment of Community-Acquired Pneumonia in Adults: A Team-Based Approach
Target Audience: Pharmacy Tech
Course Overview
Community-acquired pneumonia is a lung infection acquired outside the hospital. The American Thoracic Society and the Infectious Diseases Society of America published guidelines for community-acquired pneumonia that outline criteria for severe pneumonia. The Pneumonia Severity Index is also used to help determine whether the patient will need to be hospitalized. Various antibiotics may be used to treat community-acquired pneumonia. The guidelines emphasize the importance of clinical judgment and experience in patient care, including the management of immunocompetent adults. This continuing education activity reviews current evidence and guideline-based recommendations for CAP, emphasizing an interprofessional approach that integrates timely diagnosis, appropriate empiric therapy, and coordinated follow-up to enhance patient outcomes and antibiotic stewardship across care settings.
Learning Objectives
Upon completion of this educational activity, participants should be able to:
- Recall the diagnostic criteria for community-acquired pneumonia (CAP)
- Recognize risk factors and prevention techniques for community-acquired pneumonia
- Identify options for treating CAP in outpatient settings
- Compare and contrast options for treating CAP within inpatient settings
Faculty
I. Introduction
II. Background of Community-Acquired Pneumonia
III. Epidemiology and Etiology
IV. Clinical Manifestations and Diagnosis
A. Clinical Features
B. Diagnosis
C. Diagnostic Testing
V. Mechanism of Action for Empiric Antibiotic Choices
A. Beta Lactams
B. Doxycycline
C. Macrolide
D. Respiratory Fluoroquinolones
E. Vancomycin
F. Linezolid
VI. Initial Treatment Regimens for Outpatients with CAP
VII. Pneumonia Essentials: Match and Master
VIII. Treatment Regimens for Hospitalized Patients with CAP
IX. Treatment Considerations for Inpatients and Outpatients
X. Antibacterial Therapy, De-escalation, and Duration in CAP
XI. Summary
From November 3, 2025 through November 3, 2028, participants must:
- Read the "learning objectives" and "author and planning team disclosures"
- Study the section entitled "educational activity"
- Complete the Course Test and Evaluation form. The Course Test will be graded automatically. Following successful completion of the Course Test with a score of 70% or higher, a statement of participation will be made available immediately. (No partial credit will be given.)
Credit for this course will be automatically uploaded to CPE Monitor®.
Faculty Planner Disclosure
The following individuals were involved in developing this activity: L. Austin Fredrickson, MD, FACP, Liz Fredrickson, PharmD, BCPS, and Pamela Sardo, PharmD, BS. None of the individuals involved in developing this activity has a conflict of interest or financial relationships regarding the subject matter. There are no financial relationships or commercial or financial support relevant to this activity to report or disclose by RxCe.com or any of the individuals involved in the development of this activity.
Unlabeled Use Disclosure
The information provided in this course is general in nature and it is solely designed to provide participants with continuing education credit(s). This course and materials are not meant to substitute for the independent, professional judgment of any participant regarding that participant’s professional practice, including but not limited to patient assessment, diagnosis, treatment and/or health management. Medical and pharmacy practices, rules, and laws vary from state to state, and this course does not cover the laws of each state; therefore, participants must consult the laws of their state as they relate to their professional practice. Healthcare professionals, including pharmacists and pharmacy technicians, must consult with their employer, healthcare facility, hospital, or other organization, for guidelines, protocols, and procedures they are to follow. The information provided in this course does not replace those guidelines, protocols, and procedures but is for academic purposes only, and this course’s limited purpose is for the completion of continuing education credits. Participants are advised and acknowledge that information related to medications, their administration, dosing, contraindications, adverse reactions, interactions, warnings, precautions, or accepted uses are constantly changing, and any person taking this course understands that such person must make an independent review of medication information prior to any patient assessment, diagnosis, treatment and/or health management. Any discussion of off-label use of any medication, device, or procedure is informational only and such uses are not endorsed hereby. Nothing contained in this course represents the opinions, views, judgments, or conclusions of RxCe.com LLC. RxCe.com LLC is not liable or responsible to any person for any inaccuracy, error, or omission with respect to this course, or course material.
Please ensure the device you plan to use meets these requirements:
- Operating System: Windows 7, 8, 10, or 11 / Mac OS X 10.9 or later / iOS / Android
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- A connection to the internet
Accreditation
In support of improving patient care, RxCE.com is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
PTCB Recognition
RxCe.com, LLC, offers pharmacy technician continuing education courses for PTCB recertification. Pharmacy technician courses are indicated both in the Target Audience description and the ACPE UAN which will end with a "T".