Antibiotic use in the emergency department. II The aminoglycosides, macrolides, tetracyclines, sulfa drugs, and urinary antiseptics.

The aminoglycoside, macrolide, tetracycline, and sulfa classes of antibiotics provide antimicrobial coverage pertinent to many infectious diseases diagnosed in the emergency department (ED). The aminoglycosides are parenteral agents that are useful in Gram-negative infections and as synergistic drugs in the management of some Gram-positive infections. The macrolides, of which erythromycin is the prototype, are used for a number of Gram-positive and atypical bacterial infections, while the tetracyclines are appropriate for ED treatment of a diverse group of infections such as chlamydiae, spirochetes, and rickettsiae. The sulfa agents are appropriate for many urinary and respiratory tract infections, and also have particular utility in some infections encountered primarily in patients with AIDS. The urinary antiseptics are a group of antimicrobials that may be effective for cystitis but have no systemic efficacy. This article, which is the second in a four-part series on antibiotic use in the ED, reviews the pharmacology and clinical utility of these diverse agents for the emergency physician.