title: The use of carbapenems in the treatment of serious infections.
abstract: Inadequate initial antimicrobial treatment in serious infections leads to increased mortality. Achieving adequate treatment is increasingly difficult because of the increasing prevalence of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens. The carbapenems are potent, broad-spectrum antibiotics that have been shown to be safe and efficacious therapies in the treatment of serious infections. This review is intended to compare the 4 major members of the carbapenem class, which include imipenem, meropenem, ertapenem, and doripenem, with other widely used antimicrobial agents in the intensive care unit (ICU). The carbapenems are potent, broad-spectrum antibiotics that have been shown to be safe and efficacious therapies in the treatment of serious infections. They provide better gram-negative coverage than other beta-lactams and are stable against extended-spectrum beta-lactamases and AmpC beta-lactamases, making them effective in the treatment of many MDR bacteria. The newly approved carbapenem, doripenem, may help preserve the utility of the carbapenem class.
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, University of Cincinnati Medical Center, Cincinnati, Ohio 45267, USA. Bob.baughman@uc.edu
authors.forename: Robert P
authors.initials: RP
authors.lastname: Baughman
mesh_terms: D015780:Carbapenems / Q000493:pharmacokinetics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D024901:Drug Resistance, Multiple, Bacterial; D007239:Infections / Q000188:drug therapy*; D007362:Intensive Care Units
chemical_list: D015780:Carbapenems