Which of the following is a principle of antibiotic stewardship?

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Multiple Choice

Which of the following is a principle of antibiotic stewardship?

Antibiotic stewardship focuses on treating infections effectively while minimizing harm and the development of resistance. The best approach is to use narrow-spectrum agents when they will cover the likely pathogen, and then adjust to a targeted antibiotic (de-escalate) as soon as culture results or susceptibilities identify the specific organism. This, combined with a guideline-directed, as-short-as-safe duration, reduces disruption to the normal microbiota, lowers the risk of adverse effects, and diminishes the selective pressure that drives resistance. Using broad-spectrum antibiotics for everything increases the chance of selecting resistant organisms and disrupts beneficial flora. Stopping antibiotics as soon as symptoms improve can risk under-treating the infection and allowing relapse. Extending therapy beyond what guidelines recommend raises the same resistance and toxicity risks without added benefit.

Antibiotic stewardship focuses on treating infections effectively while minimizing harm and the development of resistance. The best approach is to use narrow-spectrum agents when they will cover the likely pathogen, and then adjust to a targeted antibiotic (de-escalate) as soon as culture results or susceptibilities identify the specific organism. This, combined with a guideline-directed, as-short-as-safe duration, reduces disruption to the normal microbiota, lowers the risk of adverse effects, and diminishes the selective pressure that drives resistance.

Using broad-spectrum antibiotics for everything increases the chance of selecting resistant organisms and disrupts beneficial flora. Stopping antibiotics as soon as symptoms improve can risk under-treating the infection and allowing relapse. Extending therapy beyond what guidelines recommend raises the same resistance and toxicity risks without added benefit.

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