Clinical Approach To Antimicrobial Therapy Flashcards
Factors involved in choosing abx: infective agent
Pathogenicity; virulence; invasiveness; adherence; toxin production; transmissibility; growth requirements; antibiotic susceptibility in vitro.
Factors involved in choosing antibiotics: host resistance
State of health or debility; nutritional state; immune status; underlying illness; implants/foreign bodies; portal of entry; normal flora; antibiotic therapy augment host resistance
Define sepsis
Combination of symptoms and signs of a localised primary site of infection
Define SIRS
Systemic inflammatory response syndrome
What is SIRS the first sign of?
That infection is spreading form the primary site of infection and the patient may be bacteraemic.
Other non infective causes of SIRS
Trauma, chronic inflammation, malignancy
What are the criteria for SIRS (at least 2 of)?
Temperature: >38C (febrile/pyrexial) or 90 beats/min (tachycardia)
Respiratory rate: >20 breaths/min or PaCO2 12000 cells/mm3 or
What are the features of SEVERE sepsis?
Temperature: >38C (febrile/pyrexial) or 90 beats/min (tachycardia)
Respiratory rate: >20 breaths/min or PaCO2 12000 cells/mm3 or
When is prophylactic use of antibiotics indicated?
When infection is a serious complication of surgery or of a medical condition e.g. If a non-sterile site will be breeched in surgery
When is therapeutic use of antibiotics indicated?
When infection is suspected or confirmed by:
- Clinical diagnosis (disease or site) or
- microbiological diagnosis I.e. laboratory confirmed
What information is necessary when deciding what antibiotics to use on a patient with suspected or confirmed bacterial infection?
- location/source of infection
- severity of infectious process
- epidemiological setting of patient
- pre-existing medical contain or problems that could pre-dispose patient to an infection
What information does the anatomical location of an infection give when prescribing antibiotics?
Allows most likely organism to be determined and allows pattern of susceptibility to be reasonably predicted (local surveillance)
Allows use of appropriate empirical therapy.
Also determines route if therapy administration .
What are some examples of the epidemiological factors of a patient that impact on the likelihood of an organism?
Age; sex; location; travel; IVDU; pets;
What are some pre-existing medical conditions that could pre-dispose a patient to infection?
Prosthesis; valvular heart disease; immunosuppressions; diabetes mellitus
What are the implications for a narrow spectrum abx?
Targeted therapy - organism defined
What are the implications for use of broad spectrum abx?
Empirical or best guess therapy - microbiology is uncertain.
Site directed.
Associated side effects: spread of resistance etc
Factors involved in shaping guidelines for choosing empirical antibiotic treatment
Site of infection Seriousness Likely organisms Patient factors & circumstances Cost Toxicity and side effects Local/national resistance rates Other underlying medical conditions Contraindications
Why is picking the correct route of abx administration essential?
To ensure effective drug concentrations at the site of infection.
Choices for route if administration of abx
Oral
IV
IM
Topical
What can effect oral absorption of abx?
Food - abx poorly absorbed or less stable
Drugs - calcium antacids and iron interfere with tetracycline uptake
What are the pharmacokinetic factors that can effect can an abx and its usefulness?
Serum concentrations Half life (t 1/2) Tissue concentrations Protein binding Crossing natural boundaries e.g CSF, joint fluid Metabolism Excretion. (Liver/kidney)