title: Antibiotic prophylaxis for cardiac surgery.
abstract: Antibiotic prophylaxis for cardiac surgery is a controversial area. Recent systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials have concluded that surgical site infection can be reduced by prolonging prophylaxis for 24-48 h. Also, post-operative pneumonia and all-cause mortality can be reduced by giving agents with both anti-Gram-negative and anti-Gram-positive activity. The choice of the most appropriate regimen remains open to debate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Microbiology, Papworth Hospital, Cambridge, UK. ruth.kappeler@papworth.nhs.uk
authors.forename: Ruth
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Kappeler
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Gillham
authors.forename: Nicholas M
authors.initials: NM
authors.lastname: Brown
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D019072:Antibiotic Prophylaxis / Q000379:methods*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000517:prevention & control*; D013903:Thoracic Surgery
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents