Community-Acquired Pneumonia in the Emergency Department

Points & Pearls Excerpt

• CAP is an acute infection of the lung parenchyma in patients who have not been hospitalized or had recent exposure to the healthcare system.
• Though the most commonly identified pathogen in CAP is Streptococcus pneumoniae, it is responsible for only 10% to 15% of hospitalized cases.
• High-risk CAP mimics include congestive heart failure exacerbation, acute coronary syndromes, pulmonary embolism, neoplastic lesions, and pul-monary abscess/empyema.
• Identification of sepsis related to pneumonia is imperative and includes an assessment of the patient’s vital signs and the clinical signs and symptoms of severe sepsis and septic shock.