Appropriate Antibiotic Therapy

Michael G Allison; Emily L Heil; Bryan D Hayes

doi:10.1016/j.emc.2016.08.003

Appropriate Antibiotic Therapy

Emerg Med Clin North Am. 2017 Feb;35(1):25-42. doi: 10.1016/j.emc.2016.08.003.

Authors

Michael G Allison¹, Emily L Heil², Bryan D Hayes³

Affiliations

¹ Critical Care Medicine, St. Agnes Hospital, 900 South Caton Avenue, Baltimore, MD 21229, USA.
² Department of Pharmacy, University of Maryland Medical Center, 29 South Greene Street, Room 400, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA.
³ Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Maryland Medical Center, University of Maryland School of Medicine, 22 South Greene Street, Baltimore, MD 21201, USA. Electronic address: bryanhayes13@gmail.com.

PMID: 27908336
DOI: 10.1016/j.emc.2016.08.003

Abstract

Prescribing antibiotics is an essential component of initial therapy in sepsis. Early antibiotics are an important component of therapy, but speed of administration should not overshadow the patient-specific characteristics that determine the optimal breadth of antimicrobial therapy. Cultures should be drawn before antibiotic therapy if it does not significantly delay administration. Combination antibiotic therapy against gram-negative infections is not routinely required, and combination therapy involving vancomycin and piperacillin/tazobactam is associated with an increase in acute kidney injury. Emergency practitioners should be aware of special considerations in the administration and dosing of antibiotics in order to deliver optimal care to septic patients.

Keywords: Acute kidney injury; Antibiotics; Antifungals; Dosing; Obesity; Resistance; Sepsis.

Publication types

Review

MeSH terms

Acute Kidney Injury / chemically induced
Anti-Bacterial Agents / administration & dosage
Anti-Bacterial Agents / adverse effects
Anti-Bacterial Agents / therapeutic use*
Humans
Obesity / complications
Sepsis / complications
Sepsis / drug therapy*
Sepsis / microbiology
Time Factors

Substances

Anti-Bacterial Agents