Is drug resistance affecting treatment outcomes?

Antimicrobial drug resistance is a growing concern for the medical community. Although cases of drug resistance to Streptococcus pneumoniae are on the increase, there has been no change in mortality rates. The fact that the medical literature shows no proven correlation between drug-resistant S pneumoniae and clinical failure suggests that concerns about drug resistance in S pneumoniae may be overstated. Therefore, in treating community-acquired pneumonia, physicians should also weigh other important considerations such as pharmacology, safety, tolerability, and dosing convenience.