Pillars of Antibiotic Dosing
Antimicrobials are unique in pharmacotherapy because one patient’s prescription can have a direct effect on others and its utilization remains the primary driver of organism resistance. There are currently very few antimicrobials with novel modes of action against resistant Gram-negative pathogens in late-stage clinical trials, despite the fact that antibiotic resistance has long been recognized as a serious threat to global public health. It is obvious that in order to maintain our existing arsenal, antibiotic prescribing must be optimized.
Antibiotics are a key component of modern medicine and determining an antibiotic susceptibility is essential when choosing a course of therapy. However, it is not a perfect predictor of patient reaction to antibiotics. Knowledge on the pharmacokinetic (PK) and pharmacodynamic (PD) characteristics of antibiotics that optimize the likelihood of a favourable outcome is essential.
Stewardship methods that emphasize limiting use and reducing treatment time are widely recognized, However, these ideas are still not applicable to antiviral and antifungal medications, which are the focus of additional study.
Even though it takes time and demands patience, the fundamentals of rational antibiotic dosage selection will definitely help to prevent catastrophe.
References
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2. Onufrak NJ, Forrest A, Gonzalez D. Pharmacokinetic and Pharmacodynamic Principles of Anti-infective Dosing. Clin Ther. 2016 Sep;38(9):1930-47. Connors, Kevin P. et al. Optimizing Antibiotic Pharmacodynamics for Clinical Practice. Pharmaceutica Analytica Acta. 2013;(4): 1-8.
3. Eyler RF, Shvets K. Clinical Pharmacology of Antibiotics. Clin J Am Soc Nephrol. 2019;14(7):1080-1090.
4. Zhanel GG, Hoban DJ, Harding GK. The postantibiotic effect: a review of in vitro and in vivo data. DICP. 1991 Feb;25(2):153-63.
5. Craig W. Pharmacodynamics of antimicrobial agents as a basis for determining dosage regimens. Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis 1993;12:Suppl 1:S6-8.
6. Goodman & Gilman's: The Pharmacological Basis of Therapeutics, 14th Edition.
Dr Kinjal Patel
Medical Microbiologist with an aptitude for holistic wellness and serving community with so far acquired knowledge. A dedicated reader in pursuit of improving human lives by transforming laboratory medicine and sharing pearls of medicine. Her life's mantra is "do what you love or love what you do".
