The severity of community-acquired pneumonia needs to be judged in the context of the patient’s physical condition, age, whether there is a combination of underlying illnesses, infectious agents, and whether complications are present.
In severe cases, complications such as pneumonia-like pleural effusion, respiratory failure, septic shock and multi-organ failure may occur. The insidious onset and rapid progression of community-acquired pneumonia in the elderly, the number and severity of complications, and the complexity of the underlying co-morbidities make the prognosis poorer and should be taken seriously.