Acute Exacerbation of COPD
NHSL Antimicrobial Guidelines
Warning
Many exacerbations are not caused by bacterial infections so will not respond to antibiotics. Consider an antibiotic, but only after taking into account severity of symptoms (particularly sputum colour changes and increases in volume or thickness), need for hospitalisation, previous exacerbations, hospitalisations and risk of complications, previous sputum culture and susceptibility results, and risk of resistance with repeated courses.
Drug details
Drug
Amoxicillin
Dosage
500mg
Duration
3 times a day 5 days
Drug
OR
Doxycycline
Dosage
200mg
then 100mg
Duration
on day 1
once daily for 4 further days
OR
Clarithromycin
500mg
twice daily for 5 days