A female patient, 23 years of age, presented to a general Practitioner, Dr. Q, with a four-day history of fever, cough, and green/brown phlegm. On examination, she was afebrile with no chest signs except an expiratory wheeze. Dr. Q’s clinical impression was of a viral infection. In addition, the clinical findings were supported by the fact that the patient was on day four of a five-day course of amoxicillin prescribed by her dentist, which had not improved her symptoms.
Given the patient's history and examination findings, Dr. Q did not feel that the patient required a further course of antibiotics. She was already receiving the correct antibiotic and course duration, as set out in the national guidelines for the empirical cover of low-risk community-acquired pneumonia. Dr. Q advised her about viral infection and performed appropriate safety-netting with instructions in case the…
