BCPS 2013: Infectious Disease (Pneumonia)

Infectious Disease.  The topic that I like but loathe.  At the same time. Pneumonia

      1. Community Acquired Pneumonia (CAP) - not hospitalized 2 days or more within the past 90 days, not in a LTC facility/residence, no IV antibiotic therapy, IV chemo, or wound care in the past 30 days, or attendance at a hospital or dialysis clinic.  Must have at least two of the following symptoms:  fever or hypothermia, rigors, sweats, new cough (with or without sputum), chest discomfort, onset of dyspnea, or fatigue, pain, headache, myalgias, anorexia.CURB-65 - predictor of complicated course and whether to admit to the hospital.  Give a point for each of the following:  age > 65, comorbid illnes (DM, CHF, lung dz, renal dz, liver dz), high temp > 101F, Bacteremia, altered mental status (think elderly), immunosuppression (cancer, steroid use), High-risk etiology (S. aureus, legionella, G- bacilli, anaerobic aspiration), multilobe involvement or pleural effusion.
      2. Nosocomial Pneumonia Hospital Acquired Pneumonia (HAP) (48 hours or more after admission), Ventilator Assoc Pneumo (more than 48–72 hours after intubation), Health care Assoc Pneumo (2 or more days within 90 days of the infection) - know risk factors of nosocomial pneumonia.  Pretty common sense.
      3. CAP Organisms:  Unidentifiable (40-60%), M.pneumo, S. pneumo, H.flu, C.pneumo, viruses, S. aureus, Moraxella cat,
      4. Alcoholics - S. pneumoniae, oral anaerobes, gram negative bacilli
      5. Nursing Home - S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, gram negative bacilli, S. aureus
      6. COPD - S. pneumoniae, H. influenzae, M. catarrhalis
      7. Postinfluenza: H. influenzae, S. aureus, S. pneumoniae
      8. Exposure to water: Legionella
      9. Poor oral hygiene: oral anaerobes
      10. HIV infection: P. jiroveci, S. pneumoniae, M. pneumoniae, Mycobacterium

HAP Organisms:  S. aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Enterobacter spp., Klebsiella pneumoniae, Candida, Acinetobacter spp., Serratia marcescens, Escherichia coli, S. pneumoniae

P. aeruginosa is transmitted by health care workers’ hands or respiratory equipment S. aureus is transmitted by health care workers’ hands Enterobacteriaceae endogenously colonize hospitalized patients’ airways (healthy people seldom have gram negative upper airway colonization) Stress changes respiratory epithelial cells so that gram-negative organisms can adhere Up to 70% of patients in the intensive care unit have gram-negative upper airway colonization, and 25% of them will become infected through aspiration

TREATMENT

CAP - duration of treatment at least five days:

Empiric nonhospitalized - prev healthy and no abx in past 3 mos - macrolide or doxy (macrolide if H.flu suspected) and if comorbidities present or recent antibiotics in past 3 months - Respiratory fluoroquinolone (moxifloxacin, gemifloxacin, or levofloxacin [750 mg])

-- OR -- Macrolide (or doxycycline) with high-dose amoxicillin (1 g 3 times/day) or amoxicillin/clavulanate (2 g 2 times/day) or with a cephalosporin (ceftriaxone, cefuroxime, or with cefpodoxime)

Empiric treatment of hospitalized patients with moderately severe pneumonia - Respiratory fluoroquinolone

--OR-- Ampicillin, ceftriaxone, or cefotaxime (ertapenem in select patients) plus a macrolide (or doxycycline)

Empiric treatment of hospitalized patients with severe pneumonia requiring intensive care unit treatment (may need to add other antibiotics if P. aeruginosa or MRSA is suspected)

  • Ampicillin/sulbactam plus either a respiratory fluoroquinolone or azithromycin
  • Ceftriaxone plus either a respiratory fluoroquinolone or azithromycin
  • Cefotaxime plus either a respiratory fluoroquinolone or azithromycin

Treatment duration—at least 5 days, with 48–72 hours afebrile and no more than one sign of clinical instability (elevated temperature, heart rate, or respiratory rate; decreased systolic blood pressure; or arterial oxygen saturation) before therapy d/c

Hospital Acquired Pneumonia - Treatment duration—Efforts should be made to decrease therapy duration to as short as 7 or 8 days (14 days for pneumonia secondary to P. aeruginosa).

  1. Early onset (less than 5 days) and no risk factors for multidrug-resistant organisms -  Common organisms include S. pneumoniae, Haemophilus influenzae, (MSSA), Escherichia coli, Klebsiella pneumoniae, Enterobacter spp., and Proteus spp. -- Treatment -- Third-generation cephalosporin (cefotaxime or ceftriaxone), Fluoroquinolone (levofloxacin, moxifloxacin, ciprofloxacin), Ampicillin/sulbactam, OR Ertapenem
  2. Late onset (5 days or longer) or risk factors for MDR organisms - Common organisms include those listed above for early onset plus Pseudomonas aeruginosa, K. pneumoniae (extended spectrum β-lactamase positive), Acinetobacter spp., MRSA, and Legionella pneumophila. -- Treatment -- a.  Ceftazidime or cefepime plus aminoglycoside or fluoroquinolone (cipro-, levo-)  b.  Imipenem, meropenem, or doripenem plus aminoglycoside or fluoroquinolone (ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin), OR c.  Piperacillin/tazobactam plus aminoglycoside or fluoroquinolone (ciprofloxacin, levofloxacin)  ***Vancomycin or linezolid should be used only if MRSA risk factors (e.g., history of MRSA infection/colonization, recent hospitalization or antibiotic use, presence of invasive health care devices) are present or there is a high incidence locally (greater than 10%–15%).

Risk factors for MDR organisms -- Antibiotic therapy within the past 90 days, Hospitalization of 5 days or more, High resistance in community or hospital unit, Risk factors for health care–associated pneumonia, Immunosuppressive disease and/or therapy

A wonderful article published just last November that I love.  (Pharmacy Times)  Only thing is it doesn't go into the detail of the different antibiotics with Late vs Early Onset of Hospital Acquired.  Just CAP.  That's OK

And because guidelines haven't changed, my quizlet from last year.  Hope you enjoy:

The Perfect Medical Model

I have been doing a lot of thinking lately in regards to my career.  I am still in waiting mode about the BCPS exam, but in the meantime have spent some time making lists of how pharmacists are utilized and even on a smaller level within pharmacy departments.  You see, it is tough being on this side of a career.  I guess you could say I'm in the middle in regards to time and experience.  I have been a pharmacist now for thirteen years. I have watched, usually with protest unfortunately, as pharmacists are labeled and grouped depending on different criteria.  Back in 1999, it was about having a residency in order to be a "clinical" pharmacist.  That is still the case today except in the smaller hospital where residency trained pharmacists aren't in supply.  Other criteria is used at that point.

In a perfect medical model, especially in the small hospital, I think it would be beneficial if the physician handled diagnoses, testing, and collaborated with the clinical pharmacist for treatment.  It is fairly obvious when you study the medical school curriculum that the focus is on diagnosis.  Yes, it is important to know what we are treating, but it does no good if you throwing ertapenem at pseudomonas or if you are dosing vancomycin at 1 gm every 12 hours in a young obese man for MRSA.

Hospitals really should consider encouraging all their pharmacists, especially PharmDs to learn the material that the BCPS requires.  It has seriously helped me in the past several months personally.  It is worth the investment of money and time and makes a FABULOUS resume' builder.

And in the end, it's about the patient receiving the best care possible.  Wouldn't a collaboration encourage that?

Meet Mr. MRSA

I thought I would introduce you to an infectious organism every week!  Today, the lucky "bug" as they are referred to in the medical community is methicillin resistant staphylococcus aureus (MRSA). If I was a common layperson in the field of medicine, I would view this microorganism as a very nasty flesh eating entity.  I thought I would shed some light about MRSA.  Whether you are dealing with a soft tissue infection, pneumonia, central nervous system infection, endocarditis (heart), or bone and joint, the treatment differs.

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a bacterium that causes infections in different parts of the body. It's tougher to treat than most strains of staphylococcus aureus -- or staph -- because it's resistant to some commonly used antibiotics.

The symptoms of MRSA depend on where you're infected. Most often, it causes mild infections on the skin, causing sores or boils. But it can also cause more serious skin infections or infect surgical wounds, the bloodstream, the lungs, or the urinary tract.

Though most MRSA infections aren't serious, some can be life-threatening. Many public health experts are alarmed by the spread of tough strains of MRSA. Because it's hard to treat, MRSA is sometimes called a "super bug."  Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a bacterium that causes infections in different parts of the body. It's tougher to treat than most strains of staphylococcus aureus -- or staph -- because it's resistant to some commonly used antibiotics.

The symptoms of MRSA depend on where you're infected. Most often, it causes mild infections on the skin, causing sores or boils. But it can also cause more serious skin infections or infect surgical wounds, the bloodstream, the lungs, or the urinary tract.

Though most MRSA infections aren't serious, some can be life-threatening.  Many public health experts are alarmed by the spread of tough strains of MRSA.  Because it's hard to treat, MRSA is sometimes called a "super bug." 

Also just news today... an almost instant test in detecting MRSA.

Skin and soft-tissue infections

  1.  Abscess  - incision and drainage
  2. Purulent cellulitis
    • Clindamycin 300-450 mg PO TID (C diff)
    • Bactrim 1-2 DS tablets BID (pregnancy category C/D)
    • Doxycycline 100 mg BID (pg category D and not recommend for children under 8)
    • Minocycline 200 mg x 1, then 100 mg PO BID
    • Linezolid 600 mg BID (expensive)
  3.  Nonpurulent cellultis
    • Beta lactam (cephalexin and dicloxacillin) 500 mg QID
    • Clindamycin 300-450 mg TID
    • Beta lactam and/or Bactrim or a tetracycline – amoxicillin 500 mg TID
    • Linezolid 600 mg BID
  4. Complicated SSTI
    • Vancomycin 15-20 mg/kg/dose IV every 8-12 hours
    • Linezolid 600 mg PO/IV BID
    • Daptomycin (cubicin) 4 mg/kg/dse IV QD
    • Telavancin 10 mg/kg/dose IV QD
    • Clindamycin 600 mg PO/IV TID
  5. Bacteremia
    • Vancomycin 15-20 mg/kg/dose IV every 8-12 hours
    • Daptomycin 6 mg/kg/dose IV QD
  6. Infective endocarditis, native valve – same as bacteremia
  7. Infective endocarditis prosthetic valve
    • Vancomycin and gentamicin and rifampin – 15-20 mg/kg/dose IV every 8-12 hrs,                                          i.      1 mg/kg/dose IV every 8 h,  300 mg PO/IV every 8 h
  8.  Persistant bacteremia
  9. Pneumonia
    • Vancomycin 15-20 mg/kg/dose IV every 8-12 hours        
    • Linezolid 600 mg PO/IV BID
    • Clindamycin 600 mg PO/IV TID
  10. Osteomyelitis (Bone and Joint Infections)
    • Vancomycin 15-20 mg/kig/dose IV every 8-12 hours
    • Daptomycin 6 mg/kg/day IV QD
    • Linezolid 600 mg PO/IV BID
    • Clindamycin 600 mg PO/IV TID
    • TMP-SMX and rifampin – 3.5-4.0 mg/kg/dose PO/IV every 8-12 h
  11. Septic arthritis
    • Vancomycin 15-20 mg/kg every 8-12 hours
    • Daptomycin 6 mg/kg/day IV QD
    • Linezolid 600 mg PO/IV BID
    • Clindamycin 600 mg PO/IV TID
    • Bactrim 3.5-4.0 mg/kg/dose PO/IV every 8-12 hours
  12. Meningitis
    • Vancomycin 15-20 mg/kg/dose IV every 8-12 hours
    • Linezolid 600 mg PO/IV BID
    • Bactrim 5 mg/kg/dose PO/IV every 8-12 hours
  13. Brain abscess, subdural empyema, spinal epidural abcess
    • Vancomycin 15-20 mg/kg/dose every 8-12 hours
    • Linezolid 600 mg po/iv BID
    • Bactrim 5 mg/kg/dose PO/IV every 8-12 hours
  14. Septic thrombosis of cavernous or dural venous sinus
    • Vanc same
    • Zyvox
    • Bactrim same