NSC2500: Understanding Amoxicillin Use in Pneumonia Treatment

This presentation provides a comprehensive overview of bacterial pneumonia and the use of amoxicillin in its treatment. It begins by defining bacterial pneumonia as a lung infection where air sacs become inflamed, detailing the common microorganisms like Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenzae that cause the disorder. The presentation explains the pathophysiology, describing how these microorganisms trigger an immune response leading to inflammation and impaired oxygen transportation. It then focuses on amoxicillin, an antibiotic drug from the penicillin group, discussing its mechanism of action in inhibiting bacterial cell wall synthesis, pharmacokinetics, and various routes of administration. The presentation also highlights potential side effects, precautions, and drug interactions associated with amoxicillin. Furthermore, it emphasizes the relevance of this knowledge in nursing practice, especially in treating patients with risk factors for pneumonia. The presentation concludes by reinforcing amoxicillin as an effective medication for bacterial pneumonia, supported by references to relevant research articles.

Running head: AMOXICILLIN FOR PNEUMONIA
AMOXICILLIN FOR PNEUMONIA
Name of the student:
Name of the incident:
Author note:

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Bacterial infection:
Bacterial pneumonia can be defined as the common lung infection where the air sacks of
the lungs become inflamed. These sacs are then seen to get filled with fluid, pus as well as
cellular debris. Bacterial pneumonia can result in affecting one portion of the lung or as the full
lung as a whole (Nascimento-Carvalho et al., 2017). This disorder mainly affects the capacity of
the body to get enough oxygen for the blood and therefore the cells are seen to fail severely to
work properly.
Microorganism that causes the disorder:
Streptococcus pneumonia is mainly the leading cause of bacterial pneumonia that enter
the lungs through inhalation or can also enter through the bloodstream. Haemophilus influenza is
the second type of bacterial organisms that mainly stay in the upper respiratory tract of the
individuals and only affects the body when the immune system is weakened (Xiang et al., 2016).
Smoking, working in an environment with lot of pollution as well as living or working in
hospitals increases the chance of the infection.
Pathophysiology and mechanism leading to the disorder:
From the evidence based articles that are found, it is seen that once the microorganisms
enter inside the alveoli, they are seen to travel to the spaces between the cells and even between
the adjacent alveoli by the creation of pores. This invasion is mainly seen to trigger the immune
response of the body by sending the WBC to attack the bacteria. These neutrophils are then sent
engulf the bacteria and thereby releasing the cytokines that result in general activation of the
immune system causing various symptoms like fever, child and fatigue (Biedenbach et al.,
2015). Researchers have stated that these neutrophils, bacteria along with fluid that is leaked

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from the surrounding blood vessels results in the filling of the alveoli and therefore impairment
in the oxygen transportation takes place. Mucus production is increased and therefore leaky
capillaries may tinge the mucus with the blood. Mucus plugs further decreases the efficiency of
the gas exchange in the lung (Barrera et al., 2016).
Drug that is used:
Amoxicillin is one the widely used antibiotic drug that mainly belongs to the group of the
penicillin. They are mainly helpful in treating various kinds of bacterial infections like that of
bacterial pneumonia. It mainly works by preventing the growth of the bacteria and thereby
killing them. Some of the side effects that are included are diarrhea, tooth discoloration and
candidiasis (Rajapakse et al., 2016).
Mechanism of action:
Amoxicillin is a derivative of ampicillin and is of the members of the same family like
that of the penicillins. They are actually β-lactam antibiotic. This is mainly seen to inhibit the
cross linkage between the linear peptidoglycan polymer chains that are mainly responsible for
the making up of the major component of the cell wall of Gram positive bacteria and some gram
negative bacteria (Tshefu et al., 2015). Thereby there is inhibition in the third as well as the last
stage of bacterial wall synthesis. Cell lysis is then seen to take place by the autolytic enzymes of
the bacterial cells walls like that of the autolysins. Many researchers are of the opinion that this
medication mainly interferes with the autolysin inhibitor.
Pharmacokinetics:

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Amoxicillin absorption is mainly not known to interact with any food that is taken in.
however, it has the capability to cross the placenta and small amounts are seen to be distributed
in the breast milk. The half-life of the amoxicillin is seen to be 61.3 minutes and is mainly seen
to be excreted by the kidney and by hepatic metabolism (Wayne te al., 2017). However, in many
cases, it is seen that their excretion may get delayed by the concomitant administration of the
probenecid.
Route of administration:
I have learnt that Amoxicillin can be taken as the dry tablet orally as well as a chewable
tablet, a capsule, a suspension or even by the procedure of the liquid preparation as well as by the
drops for the children. This medication is normally advised to be taken either twice a day in
every 12 hours. It may be also taken thrice a day at every 8 hours depending u[on the instruction
of the doctors. If one of the doses get missed, it should be immediately taken unless it is nearly
the time for the next dose but it can be never taken together for making up a missed dose. The
patient should continue the medication until the time of the prescribed dose as stopping it before
that might result in recurrence of the organisms (Rajapakse et al., 2016).
Side effects/ precautions and others:
I have researched many new books where I have learnt that doctors should check whether
the patient is allergic for penicillin or not as it may result in fatal anaphylactic reactions. Signs
and symptoms of such reaction may be difficulty in breathing, chest tightness, itchiness, rash as
well as swelling of throat and face. Patients may be seen to suffer from stomach upset as well as
vomiting and diarrhea. Less common but severe effects may include severe rashes, seizures, pale
skin, fatigue, yellowing of the eyes or skin or dark colored or bloody urine. Interactions with

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other drugs may result in increasing or decreasing the effectiveness of the other drugs. It also
may result n increasing the toxicity within the body by reducing the ability of the body to reduce
the drug after use. It reduces effectiveness of the birth control pills (Tshefu et al., 2015).
Precautions should be taken when the patients have asthma, hay fever, kidney diseases,
mononucleosis, hives as well as phenylketonuria.
Relevance to practice:
They are extremely important in the nursing profession in both the primary as well as the
secondary healthcare services. The disorder affects a huge number of patients often and therefore
it is of extreme significance in the healthcare industry. Risks factors are mainly the people with
age over 65 or below 2 who have chronic medical conditions like lung disease, alcohol and
smoking issues, neurological problems and many others. Therefore, treating those requires this
medication besides hospital and community acquired pneumonia.
Conclusion:
From the above discussion, it becomes clear that bacterial pneumonia is a lung disorder
affected by bacterial infection. Amoxicillin is one of the effective medications from penicillin
group of medication that helps to relive from such disorders.

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References:
Barrera, C. M., Mykietiuk, A., Metev, H., Nitu, M. F., Karimjee, N., Doreski, P. A., ... & Van
Rensburg, D. J. (2016). Efficacy and safety of oral solithromycin versus oral
moxifloxacin for treatment of community-acquired bacterial pneumonia: a global,
double-blind, multicentre, randomised, active-controlled, non-inferiority trial
(SOLITAIRE-ORAL). The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 16(4), 421-430.

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Biedenbach, D. J., Farrell, D. J., Sader, H. S., & Jones, R. N. (2015). Antimicrobial Activity of a
New Fluoroketolide Solithromycin (CEM-101) Tested Against Fastidious Gram-negative
Community-Acquired Bacterial Pneumonia Pathogens.
Nascimento-Carvalho, C. M., Xavier-Souza, G., Vilas-Boas, A. L., Fontoura, M. S. H., Barral,
A., Puolakkainen, M., ... & PNEUMOPAC-Efficacy Study Group. (2017). Evolution of
acute infection with atypical bacteria in a prospective cohort of children with community-
acquired pneumonia receiving amoxicillin. Journal of Antimicrobial
Chemotherapy, 72(8), 2378-2384.
Rajapakse, N. S., Vayalumkal, J. V., Vanderkooi, O. G., Ricketson, L. J., & Kellner, J. D.
(2016). Time to reconsider routine high-dose amoxicillin for community-acquired
pneumonia in all Canadian children. Paediatrics & child health, 21(2), 65-66.
Tshefu, A., Lokangaka, A., Ngaima, S., Engmann, C., Esamai, F., Gisore, P., ... & Wammanda,
R. D. (2015). Oral amoxicillin compared with injectable procaine benzylpenicillin plus
gentamicin for treatment of neonates and young infants with fast breathing when referral
is not possible: a randomised, open-label, equivalence trial. The Lancet, 385(9979), 1758-
1766.
Wayne, A., Davis, M., Sinnott, V. B., & Bracker, K. (2017). Outcomes in dogs with
uncomplicated, presumptive bacterial pneumonia treated with short or long course
antibiotics. The Canadian Veterinary Journal, 58(6), 610.
Xiang, Y., Wang, Z. H., Cai, P., & Zhang, Z. (2016). Effect of β-lactamase detection on reducing
the incidence of antibiotic-associated diarrhea in children with severe bacterial

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pneumonia. Zhongguo dang dai er ke za zhi= Chinese journal of contemporary
pediatrics, 18(10), 1001-1004.