Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 21, 2026
11:17
Multiplex Therapeutic Drug Monitoring by Isotope-dilution HPLC-MS/MS of Antibiotics in Critical Illnesses
Published on: August 30, 2018
[Antibiotic therapy in the outpatient setting: update 2009]
1Institut für Infektionskrankheiten, Universität Bern und Universitätsklinik für Infektiologie, Friedbühlstrasse 51, Inselspital, Bern. martin.taeuber@ifik.unibe.ch
Praxis
|August 13, 2009
Summary
Rational antibiotic use prioritizes effective treatments for bacterial infections while avoiding unnecessary prescriptions for viral illnesses. This approach guides antibiotic selection based on local resistance data to combat antimicrobial resistance.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Pharmacology
- Antimicrobial Stewardship
Context:
- Outpatient antibiotic therapy requires careful selection of antimicrobial agents.
- Increasing antimicrobial resistance necessitates evidence-based prescribing practices.
- Distinguishing viral from bacterial infections is crucial for appropriate treatment.
Purpose:
- To outline rational prescribing guidelines for common outpatient infections.
- To emphasize the judicious use of antibiotics based on etiology and resistance patterns.
- To provide recommendations for antibiotic selection in respiratory, urinary, and skin infections.
Summary:
- Antibiotics are reserved for bacterial infections where they offer benefit, guided by local resistance data.
- Viral respiratory infections (rhinitis, bronchitis, sinusitis) do not warrant antibiotic treatment.
- Aminopenicillins are recommended for bacterial respiratory infections; quinolones are reserved due to rising resistance.
- Trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole is preferred for uncomplicated urinary tract infections over quinolones.
- Beta-lactam antibiotics are suitable for skin and soft tissue infections, pending local prevalence of MRSA.
Impact:
- Promotes effective treatment of bacterial infections and reduces unnecessary antibiotic exposure.
- Aims to mitigate the growing threat of antimicrobial resistance.
- Supports improved patient outcomes through appropriate antimicrobial stewardship.
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