Abstract
Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) and ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) continue
to be major concerns for morbidity and mortality, especially in patients treated in
the intensive care unit. With the rise in multidrug-resistant organisms, HAP and VAP
treatment is challenged by the need for early appropriate treatment, with broad-spectrum
agents, while still being aware of the principles of antibiotic stewardship. The two
major society guidelines proposed a series of risk factors in their most recent guidelines
to help identify patients who can most benefit from narrow- or broad-spectrum initial
empiric antibiotic therapy. The guidelines reveal differences in the proposed risk
factors and treatment approaches, as well as major similarities.
Keywords
nosocomial pneumonia - risk factors for MDR pathogens - antibiotic choice - guidelines
- antibiotic resistance
