Clinical implications of aminopenicillins with beta-lactamase inhibitors.

Aminopenicillin/beta-lactamase inhibitor combinations (ampicillin/sulbactam and amoxicillin/clavulanic acid) are well established in the therapy of a wide range of infections in both hospital and primary-care settings as a result of their very broad-spectrum activity and good tolerability. These agents are particularly suited to the prophylaxis and treatment of polymicrobial infections. Clinical studies have demonstrated their efficacy in the treatment of diabetic foot infections, intra-abdominal infections, aspiration-related lung infections, brain abscesses and pelvic inflammatory disease, and in the prophylaxis of infections following abdominal, pelvic and head and neck surgery. Recent studies have also revealed that aminopenicillin/beta-lactamase inhibitors may provide therapy or prophylaxis which is more cost-effective than with comparative antimicrobial agents.