Utilization of antimicrobial agents in patients on ventilator in medical Intensive Care Unit at a tertiary care teaching hospital: A prospective study.

BACKGROUND

The burden of bacterial infections is huge and grossly underrepresented in the current health-care system. Inappropriate use of antimicrobial agents (AMAs) poses a potential hazard to patients by causing antibiotic resistance. In addition, the field of antimicrobials is witnessing constant development and introduction of new drugs for which holistic utilization, effectiveness, and side-effects studies are the need of the hour. The current study aims at studying the prescription pattern of AMAs in patients on ventilator and focuses on their prescribing trends.

METHODOLOGY: A prospective, observational study was conducted in Medical Intensive Care Unit (ICU) of a tertiary care hospital of Western India for 6 months. Prescription pattern of AMAs was analyzed using predesigned format.

STATISTICAL ANALYSIS: Descriptive statistics was used being an observational study.

RESULTS

Five-hundred and twenty patients who were on ventilator and were prescribed one or more AMAs were enrolled in the study with a mean patient age of 40.7 years. The intended purpose of the use of AMAs was prophylactic in 59% of patients. Empirical therapy was given in 92% of patients. β-lactams group of AMAs along with metronidazole were most frequently used. 73% required concurrent use of two or more AMAs. 9% of the patients required addition or substitution of one or more other AMAs on the basis of culture and sensitivity report or inadequate clinical response and expert opinion. The outcome of therapy with AMAs showed infection was effectively prevented in 34% of the patients.

CONCLUSION

This study provides a baseline data for improving the utilization of AMAs in ICU settings by rationalizing their use and also carrying out further studies on prescribing pattern of AMAs in a tertiary care unit.