Guidelines for the management of community-acquired pneumonia.

Guidelines for the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) have been issued by various institutions. These therapeutic recommendations, culled from available medical literature, can be conflicting and confusing. The following factors further complicate clinical management: Accurate diagnosis is sometimes challenging therapeutic options are abundant and aggressively marketed, and drug resistance is an increasing concern. Moreover, costs of care and clinical outcomes can vary significantly with therapeutic approaches. All of these factors point to a critical need for more consistent medical guidelines for treating CAP.