Antibiotic Guidelines (BNF)

Key points

• Exacerbation of chronic bronchitis: amoxicillin, tetracycline or clarithromycin.
• Community-acquired pneumonia (uncomplicated): amoxicillin (doxycycline or clarithromycin if penicillin-allergic; add flucloxacillin if staphylococci suspected e.g. in influenza).
• Atypical pneumonia: clarithromycin. Hospital-acquired: < 5 days co-amoxiclav or cefuroxime; > 5 days piperacillin-tazobactam or broad-spectrum cephalosporin or ciprofloxacin.
• Lower UTI: trimethoprim or nitrofurantoin; acute pyelonephritis: broad-spectrum cephalosporin or quinolone; acute prostatitis: quinolone or trimethoprim.