Recent Trends of Antimicrobial Therapy in ICU Patients

Abstract

An antimicrobial is an agent that kills microorganisms or inhibits their growth. Antimicrobial medicines can be grouped according to the microorganisms they act primarily against. For example, antibacterials (commonly known as antibiotics) are used against bacteria, antifungals are used against fungi and antivirals are used against viruses. They can also be classed according to their function. Antimicrobials that kill microbes are called microbicidal; those that merely inhibit their growth are called microbiostatic. Disinfectants such as bleach are non-selective antimicrobials. Examples of antimicrobial agents: Tetracycline, an antibiotic used to treat urinary tract infections, Oseltamivir, an antiviral that treats the flu, and Terbinafine, an antifungal that treats athlete's foot. Antimicrobial therapy is probably overused in the ICU, possibly resulting from difficulties in diagnosis and the perceived greater risk of untreated infection when compared to the risks of potentially unnecessary antimicrobial therapy. Efforts to improve antimicrobial-related decision-making should be mandatory.