RT Book, Section A1 Nair, Girish B. A1 Niederman, Michael S. A2 Grippi, Michael A. A2 Antin-Ozerkis, Danielle E. A2 Dela Cruz, Charles S. A2 Kotloff, Robert M. A2 Kotton, Camille Nelson A2 Pack, Allan I. SR Print(0) ID 1195014587 T1 Principles of Antibiotic Use and the Selection of Empiric Therapy for Pneumonia T2 Fishman’s Pulmonary Diseases and Disorders, 6e YR 2023 FD 2023 PB McGraw-Hill Education PP New York, NY SN 9781260473988 LK accessmedicine.mhmedical.com/content.aspx?aid=1195014587 RD 2024/04/18 AB Antibiotics are the foundation of therapy for respiratory tract infections. The approach to use varies with the type of pneumonia, age of the affected patient, presence of various comorbid illnesses, risk factors for infection by specific pathogens, and severity of the acute illness. For most patients, initial therapy is empiric, aimed at a broad spectrum of potential pathogens. Once culture data become available, therapy can be pathogen-specific making it possible to de-escalate to fewer drugs with a narrower antimicrobial spectrum.1 In some cases, initial empiric therapy must be continued because no etiologic pathogen is identified.