Table 3.

Graded antibiotic regimens^*.

Antibiotic regimen	Dosing schedule	Additional options	Emergency plan	Example
Intermittent antibiotics	None		Attend GP with symptoms	N/A
	None		Early use of home back-up antibiotics	Co-amoxyclav 625 mg tds for 2 weeks; held at home
	Prophylactic antibiotics during the winter months with home rescue during the summer	Low-dose and full-dose options, e.g., azithromycin 250 or 500 mg 3 days/week	Early use of home back-up antibiotics	Azithromycin 500 mg 3 days/week plus back-up Co-amoxyclav for 2 weeks; held at home
Ongoing prophylaxis	Prophylactic antibiotics	Low-dose and full-dose options, e.g., azithromycin 250 or 500 mg 3 days/week	Early use of home back-up antibiotics	Azithromycin 500 mg 3 days/week plus back-up Co-amoxyclav 625 mg tds for 2 weeks; held at home
	Rotating prophylactic antibiotics		Early use of home back-up antibiotics
	Prophylactic antibiotics	Nebulized antibiotics	Early use of home back-up antibiotics	Nebulized Colomycin 1–2 mega units bd
	Prophylactic antibiotics	Intermittent planned IVAB	Early use of home back-up antibiotics	Meropenem 2g IV tds and Ceftazidime Co-amoxyclav for 2 weeks; held at home

GP, general practitioner; IV, intravenous; IVAB, intravenous antibiotic; N/A, not available; bd, twice daily; tds, three times daily.

^*If there has been an inadequate response to back-up antibiotics and an additional antibiotic in another class then intravenous antibiotics (IVAB) should be considered. The Table shows examples of antibiotic regimens and the antibiotic choice will depend on individual clinical circumstances.