title: Carbapenems in clinical practice: a guide to their use in serious infection.
abstract: Meropenem and imipenem/cilastatin, currently the only available carbapenem agents in Europe and the United States, are characterised by a broad spectrum of antimicrobial activity and stability to beta-lactamase-mediated resistance mechanisms. A guide to the use of carbapenems in clinical practice is presented; the role of carbapenems in the treatment of several types of serious bacterial infection and an up-to-date account of their clinical efficacy and safety profiles are discussed. The good clinical efficacy and favourable safety profiles of the carbapenems make them valuable as initial empirical therapy in the treatment of ventilator-associated pneumonia, sepsis of unknown origin, post-operative peritonitis, paediatric meningitis, and febrile neutropenia. However, to maintain superior efficacy, the carbapenems should be used appropriately for definitive therapy.
authors.affiliation: Children's Hospital, San Diego, USA.
authors.forename: J S
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Bradley
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Garau
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Lode
authors.forename: K V
authors.initials: KV
authors.lastname: Rolston
authors.forename: S E
authors.initials: SE
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: J P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: Quinn
mesh_terms: D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D015780:Carbapenems / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002648:Child; D004352:Drug Resistance, Microbial; D005334:Fever / Q000150:complications; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D016920:Meningitis, Bacterial / Q000188:drug therapy; D009503:Neutropenia / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000188:drug therapy; D011014:Pneumonia / Q000188:drug therapy
chemical_list: D015780:Carbapenems