Community Acquired Pneumonia: Intro Community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) is a common group of infectious diseases that are responsible for significant global health and economic burden. CAP affects approximately 5.5/1000 people annually, and is a leading cause of hospital admissions, morbidity, and mortality in developed countries (especially for older people). Among all patients with CAP, those aged 65 or older account for about one-third, but they account for more than half of all health costs due to this disease. COPD is one of the most common comorbidities in patients with CAP, characterized by persistent respiratory symptoms. COPD was the third-most common cause of death in 2008, and the morbidity from COPD is projected to increase by 2020 (Liu, Han, & Liu, 2018). Brief Summary of Client Case Client HH is a 68 year-old male admitted with a diagnosis of community-acquired pneumonia for the past 3 days. This client’s medical HX includes COPD, HTN, hyperlipidemia, and diabetes. Mr. HH is on day three of two empiric antibiotics (ceftriaxone 1 g IV daily and azithromycin 500 mg IV daily). The client’s clinical status has improved since admission, with decreased oxygen requirements. However, he is not tolerating anything PO at this time and complains of nausea and vomiting. The client’s height is 5’8” and he weighs 89 kg. The only known drug allergy is PCN which results in a rash. Analysis The client in this scenario is responding well to the current antibiotic therapy, as evidence by a drop in WBC count from 18.2 upon admission to 14.6 currently (normal range is between 5.0 and 10). It is also pleasing that the client’s O2 saturation is now 92% on room air alone, compared to 90% while requiring 4L of supplemental oxygen upon admission. Overall, the client’s lab results are not significantly concerning. Neutrophil (normal range 40-60%) and band (normal range 0.0-03%) percentages are slightly elevated as expected given the infectious process (NIH, 2020). Aside from an elevated WBC count that is trending down, a marginally elevated blood glucose, and a HCO3 elevated eight points above the normal limit, the other lab results are within the normal ranges of a healthy adult male (Farinde, 2019). The issues of concern in this client case are the client’s inability to tolerate a diet due to nausea and vomiting, elevated temperature, and continuing antibiotics to treat the pneumonia. Treatment Considerations According to Donovan (2019), the client’s empiric antibiotic regime is consistent with what is recommended by the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA). Initial empiric antimicrobial treatment should be initiated until laboratory results can be obtained to guide more specific therapy. Also, a combination of a beta-lactam (ceftriaxone 1 g IV q24h or cefotaxime 1 g IV q8h or ceftaroline 600 mg IV q12h) plus azithromycin 500 mg IV q24h is consistent with IDSA guidelines for a client with comorbidities such as COPD and diab.