title: Impact of inappropriate antimicrobial therapy on patients with bacteremia in intensive care units and resistance patterns in Latin America.
abstract: Patient care in an intensive care unit (ICU) is associated with an increased risk of developing nosocomial infections. Bacteremia is responsible for a great number of cases, 23% of which have attributable mortality in developed countries and can affect up to 52% of ICU patients. The main cause of mortality is inadequate and inappropriate antimicrobial empirical therapy. The incorrect use of antimicrobials is a major risk for identifying multidrug resistant microorganisms, thereby involving increased morbidity, mortality and costs. Implementing several surveillance systems and becoming acquainted with resistance patterns represent a valuable tool for identifying, preventing and treating this infectious complication. There is paucity of data regarding antimicrobial resistance in bacteremic patients in Latin America, and the available data reveals a worrying scenario.
authors.affiliation: Medicine Department, School of Medicine, Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Of. 510, Facultad de Medicina, Ciudad Universitaria, Bogotá, Colombia. jorgecortes@yahoo.com
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Cortés
authors.forename: D C
authors.initials: DC
authors.lastname: Garzón
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Navarrete
authors.forename: K M
authors.initials: KM
authors.lastname: Contreras
mesh_terms: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D016470:Bacteremia / Q000188:drug therapy*; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial; D006801:Humans; D057970:Inappropriate Prescribing; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D007843:Latin America
chemical_list: D000890:Anti-Infective Agents