Drug of last resort

As a reserve antibiotic (English antibiotics of last resort or drugs of last resort ) antibiotics are referred to, which are not intended for use without strict indication. This is due to, for example, severe side effects. So Ciprofloxacin is indicated for children only in severe and severe bacterial infections with otherwise resistant organisms. The targeted use of antibiotics can be reduced in principle, the incidence of the development of antibiotic resistance.

Although, compared to other European countries, antibiotics are used more sparingly in Germany, is omitted in about one third of all cases, the Regulation on a designated as a reserve antibiotic agents.

General considerations for the use of antibiotics

Normally, an exciting culture is pre- applied, is determined with the help of the sensitivity to various antibiotics by a disk diffusion tests ( antibiogram ). The aim is the use of an appropriate antibiotic. If it turns out classic, well-tolerated antibiotics as not effective use is made of side effects richer so-called reserve antibiotics. As soon as the activity of the substance was confirmed in this way, a treatment may be carried out, taking into account the fact that not the development of resistance is facilitated by premature termination of the therapy.

Reserve antibiotics have - like all antibiotics - very different application areas in infections. Many of these drugs are, for example, effective in infections with a vancomycin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. How carefully the use must be planned, was at about the experience in the use of linezolid, which is temporarily came to an increased mortality in severe skin and soft tissue infections because Linozelid effective only against gram-positive and not against gram - negative pathogens and so is the so -treated infections were not cleared up completely. Other antibiotics have significant side effects, such as causing kidney damage, and may be used only in extreme emergencies. Therapy of patients with multidrug- resistant organisms (eg MRSA) turns out also in treatment of infection with reserve antibiotics in clinical use is often difficult and tedious.