Bacterial Pneumonia in the Elderly

Bacterial pneumonia in the elderly is common, and causes more morbidity and mortality than in the younger adult. As patients live longer with more underlying disease and more iatrogenic disease, the incidence of nosocomial pneumonia will probably rise. Adequate sterilization of inhalation therapy equipment can reduce the risk of gram-negative nosocomial pneumonia. Methods to prevent colonization and microaspiration need to be investigated. The development of a gram-negative vaccine using Salmonella RE or E. coli J5 mutant would augur well for the future. Most important, the elderly patient with pneumonia should be managed promptly and aggressively in an attempt to determine the specific etiology of the pneumonia. The practice of antibiotic "shotgunning" of the elderly patient is to be avoided. Transtracheal aspiration or sheathed bronchoscopy can be performed if the patient is not able to produce sputum, or Gram stain is difficult to interpret. Morbidity and mortality can be reduced by early appropriate antibiotic therapy directed by Gram stain.