ISSN: 2471-9315
Department of Pharmacy, Norton Clark Hospital, Jeffersonville, United States
Review Article
Gaps in the Guidelines: Empiric Treatment of Multidrug Resistant Organisms
Author(s): Cassidy H. Padgett* and Francisco J. Gomez
Multidrug Resistance (MDR) is defined as acquired non-susceptibility to at least one agent in three or more antimicrobial classes or resistance to one key antimicrobial agent. Infections caused by Multidrug Resistant Organisms (MDROs) have an increased risk of inpatient mortality, morbidity and are associated with prolonged hospitalization and higher risk of readmission. MDROs are an independent risk factor for inpatient mortality and the risk of this is heightened with delays in appropriate antibiotic therapy. While there are published guidelines that outline targeted treatments of MDROs, guidance on when to empirically treat MDROs, both initially and upon readmission, is lacking. Healthcare providers must balance the risk of delaying appropriate antibiotics with the risk of increasing antimicrobial resistance with overuse of broad-spectrum antibiotics... View More»