Characterization of antibiotic prescription in intensive care units according to the Access, Watch, and Reserve classification
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.15649/cuidarte.4340Keywords:
Antibiotic, Antibiotic Prophylaxis, Drug Prescription, Infection, Drug Resistance, MicrobialAbstract
Highlights
- A total of 37.17% of the patients received more than three antibiotics during their stay in the intensive care unit.
- Multivariate analysis revealed significant differences in diagnoses across the Access, Watch, and Reserve antibiotic classifications, with notable use of Watch antibiotics in cases of pneumonia and intra-abdominal infections.
- Beta-lactam antibiotics were administered to 99.13% of patients, indicating a predominant preference for this group of medications for infection management in intensive care units.
- Among the intensive care unit population, 10.90% of patients had chronic kidney disease requiring specialized attention for antibiotic selection and dosing to minimize nephrotoxicity.
Introduction: The inappropriate use of antibiotics in intensive care units poses risks, such as increased infections caused by multidrug-resistant bacteria and adverse reactions. The World Health Organization's strategy, named Access, Watch, and Reserve, aims to mitigate these risks by categorizing antibiotics into these categories. Objective: To characterize antibiotic consumption in the adult population of intensive care units during the first quarter of 2023. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional study on patients in intensive care units was conducted. A bivariate and multivariate analyses with logistic regression were carried out. Results: 807 intensive care unit patients were studied, with a median age of 60 years. Piperacillin/tazobactam was the most prescribed antibiotic. According to the Access, Watch, and Reserve classification, 77.96% of prescriptions fell into Watch category, 11.29% into Reserve, and 10.75% into Access. Discussion: Antibiotic use in intensive care units is crucial for managing critically ill patients. Our study focuses on the challenges of antibiotic selection, complication management, and emphasizes antimicrobial stewardship for optimal therapy and reduced resistance. Conclusion: It is crucial to conduct an intervention study to demonstrate how increasing interaction of the antimicrobial stewardship team during prescription can enhance antibiotic use, reduce side effects, and decrease unnecessary costs.
How to cite this article: Solórzano Carlos Augusto, Manrique-Hernández Edgar Fabián, Miranda Barajas Ángela, Caro María Alejandra, Rubio María Camila, Licht-Ardila Maricel, Hurtado-Ortiz Alexandra. Characterization of antibiotic prescription in intensive care units according to the Access, Watch, and Reserve classification. Revista Cuidarte. 2025;16(2):e4340. https://doi.org/10.15649/cuidarte.4340
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