15th March 2024

A 60-year-old woman is admitted to the respiratory ward following a week of severe dyspnoea, fever and breathlessness.

A 60-year-old woman is admitted to the respiratory ward following a week of severe dyspnoea, fever and breathlessness. On examination, GCS 15, temp 38.1, HR 110, BP 124/84, RR 23, SpO2 97% on high flow oxygen. She is penicillin allergic. Chest examination reveals dullness to percussion on the right side with crackles heard on auscultation. Blood tests show: WCC 17 x 10⁹ /L , Urea 4.6 mmol/l, serum creatinine 113 umol/L, eGFR 32 mL/minute/1.73 m2.  A chest X-ray is obtained:

Prescribe the one most appropriate drug to treat this patient.