[Ventilator-associated pneumonia]

Klin Mikrobiol Infekc Lek. 2011 Feb;17(1):19-23.
[Article in Czech]

Abstract

Ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) is defined as pneumonia occurring in a patient after intubation with an endotracheal tube or tracheostomy tube lasting for 48 hours or more. It is also one of the most common and fatal infections of patients in ICUs. The diagnostic process in VAP is still underestimated and precise criteria for diagnosis are inconsistent. Delayed diagnosis and subsequent delay in starting appropriate therapy are associated with worse outcomes in patients with VAP. Appropriate dose, adequate route of administration and reasonable length of antibiotic therapy together with de-escalation are the fundamental principles of therapy. Supportive care is also an integral part of the treatment. Implementing preventive procedures according to the local ICU standards is needed for reducing the incidence of VAP effectively.

Publication types

  • English Abstract
  • Review

MeSH terms

  • Humans
  • Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated* / diagnosis
  • Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated* / drug therapy
  • Pneumonia, Ventilator-Associated* / prevention & control