title: Newly approved antibiotics and antibiotics reserved for resistant infections: Implications for emergency medicine.
abstract: Millions of patients are evaluated every year in the emergency department (ED) for bacterial infections. Emergency physicians often diagnose and prescribe initial antibiotic therapy for a variety of bacterial infections, ranging from simple urinary tract infections to severe sepsis. In life-threatening infections, inappropriate choice of initial antibiotic has been shown to increase morbidity and mortality. As such, initiation of appropriate antibiotic therapy on the part of the emergency physician is critical. Increasing rates of antibiotic resistance, drug allergies, and antibiotic shortages further complicates the choice of antibiotics. Patients may have a history of prior resistant infections or culture data indicating that common first-line antibiotics used in the ED may be ineffective. In recent years, there have been several new antibiotic approvals as well as renewed interest in second and third line antibiotics because of the aforementioned concerns. In addition, several newly approved antibiotics have the advantage of being administered once weekly or even as a single infusion, which has the potential to decrease hospitalizations and healthcare costs. This article reviews newly approved antibiotics and antibiotics used to treat resistant infections with a focus on implications for emergency medicine.
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, MedStar Washington Hospital Center, Washington, DC; Georgetown University School of Medicine, Washington, DC. Electronic address: maryannmazer@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Maryann
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Mazer-Amirshahi
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, The George Washington University, Washington, DC; The George Washington University, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, Washington, DC.
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Pourmand
authors.affiliation: Department of Emergency Medicine, UC Davis, Davis, CA.
authors.forename: Larissa
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: May
mesh_terms: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000494:pharmacology* / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology; D004334:Drug Administration Schedule; D024881:Drug Resistance, Bacterial / Q000187:drug effects*; D004635:Emergency Medicine / Q000379:methods / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents