Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an infection that inflames the air sacs in one or both lungs, causing them to fill with fluid or pus. It ranges from mild to life-threatening, and bacterial pneumonia, the type most amenable to treatment, is common across South and Southeast Asia, particularly during monsoon and winter seasons when respiratory illnesses circulate more widely.
Medicines used to treat Pneumonia
Recognising it
The hallmark symptoms are a persistent cough (often producing discoloured mucus), fever, chills, and shortness of breath. Chest pain that worsens with breathing or coughing is also typical. Fatigue can be severe. Older adults may not run a high fever but can become confused or unusually weak, which warrants prompt attention.
How bacterial pneumonia is treated
Most community-acquired bacterial pneumonia responds to antibiotics. Broad-spectrum agents are commonly used when the specific bacteria are not yet identified. Cefuroxime is a second-generation cephalosporin frequently chosen for moderate community-acquired pneumonia. In more resistant or complicated cases, linezolid is an option, particularly where gram-positive organisms such as MRSA are suspected.
If symptoms worsen rapidly, severe breathlessness, lips or fingernails turning blue, confusion, or high fever not settling, seek emergency care without delay.