Expert review of anti-infective therapy
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Expert Rev Anti Infect Ther · Feb 2019
ReviewAntibiotic stewardship in sepsis management: toward a balanced use of antibiotics for the severely ill patient.
Severe infections in critically ill patients carry a high morbidity and mortality rate. Given the impact of early and broad-spectrum empirical therapy in several studies and the emphasis on this in international guidelines, there is a low threshold for initiating antibiotics in many patients with suspected infection. This has led to the widespread use of antibiotics in critically ill patients, which is often unnecessary or inappropriate. ⋯ Watchful waiting, or withholding antibiotics until infection is confirmed, is justified in non-severely ill patients in whom the clinical picture is not clear. Expert opinion: Integrating AMS strategies in clinical practice can help upholding the best antibiotic empirical therapy while reducing antibiotic consumption. AMS is a multidisciplinary policy and should be embraced by critical care physicians as a solution for balanced antibiotic use.