Antimicrobial drug use in three Canadian general hospitals

Total amounts of antimicrobial drugs used to treat inpatients during 1975 were calculated for three Canadian general hospitals, one of them the principal teaching hospital of a medical school. Use of drugs was compared with that reported for Boston City Hospital during periods when antimicrobial therapy was and was not supervised by infectious disease consultants. Ampicillin, tetracyclines, cephalosporins, erythromycin and aminoglycosides for prophylactic oral administration were used excessively in the three hospitals. The degree of overuse was comparable to that at Boston City Hospital during years when drug use was uncontrolled. Overuse or improper choice of antimicrobial drug decreases the quality of patient care and increases its cost. More rigorous education is needed for both medical students and practising physicians in the rational use of antimicrobial drugs. Informal consultation with an infectious disease unit should be required before certain overly popular or toxic antibiotics are administered to hospitalized patients.