Acta anaesthesiologica Scandinavica
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Acta Anaesthesiol Scand · Jul 2017
Observational StudyVancomycin levels are frequently subtherapeutic in critically ill patients: a prospective observational study.
Appropriate utilization of vancomycin is important to attain therapeutic targets while avoiding clinical failure and the development of antimicrobial resistance. Our aim was to observe the use of vancomycin in an intensive care population, with the main focus on achievement of therapeutic serum concentrations (15-20 mg/l) and to evaluate how this was influenced by dose regimens, use of guidelines and therapeutic drug monitoring. ⋯ The present study reveals significant challenges in the utilization of vancomycin in critically ill patients. There is a need for clearer guidelines regarding dosing and therapeutic drug monitoring of vancomycin for patient subgroups.