Community-Acquired Pneumonia Triage & Empiric Antimicrobials — free guideline decision tool
This tool combines CURB-65 with the IDSA/ATS severe-CAP criteria to triage community-acquired pneumonia to outpatient, ward, or ICU care and gives empiric antimicrobials.
Open guideline tool →Guideline-based
Implements the decision logic from published clinical guidelines.
Runs in your browser
No installation. Enter the patient's values and get a guideline recommendation instantly.
Data stays local
Nothing is uploaded. Results are for licensed clinicians only.
Worked calculation
The values below come from this tool's own example placeholders and are computed server-side with the formula shown on this page, so the arithmetic can be checked quickly. It demonstrates how to substitute values only — it is not clinical advice and not a real case.
| CURB-65 score (0–5) | 1 |
|---|---|
| Major criteria (respiratory failure needing mechanical ventilation or septic shock needing vasopressors) | Any present |
| Number of minor criteria met (of 9) | 1 |
| Comorbidities/risk factors (chronic disease, recent antibiotics, etc.) | Present |
→TriageAdmit to ICU (severe CAP)
- Severity：Severe CAP (≥ 1 major or ≥ 3 minor criteria)
- Empiric antimicrobials：IV β-lactam + macrolide, or β-lactam + respiratory fluoroquinolone
- Coverage note：With MRSA or Pseudomonas aeruginosa risk factors (recent hospitalization/IV antibiotics, prior colonization, structural lung disease, etc.) add the corresponding coverage and send cultures
| CURB-65 score (0–5) | 1 |
|---|---|
| Major criteria (respiratory failure needing mechanical ventilation or septic shock needing vasopressors) | None |
| Number of minor criteria met (of 9) | 1 |
| Comorbidities/risk factors (chronic disease, recent antibiotics, etc.) | Absent |
→TriageOutpatient treatment feasible
- Severity：CURB-65 1 points
- Empiric antimicrobials：No comorbidities: amoxicillin or doxycycline (a macrolide where local macrolide resistance is low)
- Coverage note：With MRSA or Pseudomonas aeruginosa risk factors (recent hospitalization/IV antibiotics, prior colonization, structural lung disease, etc.) add the corresponding coverage and send cultures
Common questions
What is Community-Acquired Pneumonia Triage & Empiric Antimicrobials?
This tool combines CURB-65 with the IDSA/ATS severe-CAP criteria to triage community-acquired pneumonia to outpatient, ward, or ICU care and gives empiric antimicrobials.
How is Community-Acquired Pneumonia Triage & Empiric Antimicrobials calculated? What is the core formula?
Severe CAP = 1 major (mechanical-ventilation respiratory failure or vasopressor septic shock) or ≥ 3 minor criteria → ICU. Otherwise CURB-65 0–1 outpatient, 2 admit/observe, ≥ 3 admit; empiric antimicrobials stratified by setting.
When is Community-Acquired Pneumonia Triage & Empiric Antimicrobials used?
Use to choose the care setting and empiric regimen, escalating to the ICU when a major criterion or ≥ 3 minor criteria define severe CAP.
What are the key clinical points for Community-Acquired Pneumonia Triage & Empiric Antimicrobials?
Antibiotic courses are typically 5 days and stopped only after clinical stability, with the regimen tailored to setting and local resistance. (original synthesis · not guideline verbatim) MRSA or Pseudomonas risk factors prompt added coverage and cultures. PSI is the preferred severity tool, with CURB-65 as a simpler alternative.
What are the limits and cautions when using Community-Acquired Pneumonia Triage & Empiric Antimicrobials?
For licensed clinicians and clinical researchers. Interpret results with history, investigations and local protocols; not a diagnosis or prescription, and not a substitute for multidisciplinary decision-making or local guidelines.
How is Community-Acquired Pneumonia Triage & Empiric Antimicrobials calculated in practice? Can you show a worked example?
Inputs: CURB-65 score (0–5) 1, Major criteria (respiratory failure needing mechanical ventilation or septic shock needing vasopressors) Any present, Number of minor criteria met (of 9) 1, Comorbidities/risk factors (chronic disease, recent antibiotics, etc.) Present → Result: Triage Admit to ICU (severe CAP)（Severity: Severe CAP (≥ 1 major or ≥ 3 minor criteria), Empiric antimicrobials: IV β-lactam + macrolide, or β-lactam + respiratory fluoroquinolone, Coverage note: With MRSA or Pseudomonas aeruginosa risk factors (recent hospitalization/IV antibiotics, prior colonization, structural lung disease, etc.) add the corresponding coverage and send cultures） Inputs: CURB-65 score (0–5) 1, Major criteria (respiratory failure needing mechanical ventilation or septic shock needing vasopressors) None, Number of minor criteria met (of 9) 1, Comorbidities/risk factors (chronic disease, recent antibiotics, etc.) Absent → Result: Triage Outpatient treatment feasible（Severity: CURB-65 1 points, Empiric antimicrobials: No comorbidities: amoxicillin or doxycycline (a macrolide where local macrolide resistance is low), Coverage note: With MRSA or Pseudomonas aeruginosa risk factors (recent hospitalization/IV antibiotics, prior colonization, structural lung disease, etc.) add the corresponding coverage and send cultures）
Run Community-Acquired Pneumonia Triage & Empiric Antimicrobials now
This tool combines CURB-65 with the IDSA/ATS severe-CAP criteria to triage community-acquired pneumonia to outpatient, ward, or ICU care and gives empiric antimicrobials.
Open guideline tool →For licensed clinicians. Not a substitute for clinical judgement.
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