Fundamental concepts and terminology

8 important questions on Fundamental concepts and terminology

What is the post-antibiotic effect?

This is the delayed regrowth of bacteria following an exposure of an antibiotic.

What are the different in curves between the concentration dependent and the time dependent antibiotics?

Concentration dependent antibiotics show a linear relation in a local concentration-bacterial killing rate plot. Time dependent antibiotics show a diverted curve. The killing rate increases in the first stage almost linear but after a while a maximum is reached and the curve has a plateau phase.

What is the point with the time dependent antibiotics?

e.g. beta lactams and erythromycin. In this PK/PD model the concentration with the time that works is always higher than the MIC. time C > MIC.

Beta lactams have no post-antibiotic effect!
- The killing rate doesn't improve when the dosages is increased, the only prerequisite is that the concentration is above the MIC. Normally these drugs are given 2 or 4 times the MIC. It is also better to have short intervals between the dosages.
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Why are so less antibiotics used for continous infusion?

All antibiotics are licensed for intermittent infusion. In US you will therefore never see a continous infusion of antibiotics because of physicians may become accused by relatives of a dead patient and will end up in a lawsuit. So the US will never participate in such a trial.

Nowadays prolonged infusion is applied this approaches continous infusion. In theory continous infusion is better but it is hard to find any literature about it.

So what is a summary of beta-lactam antibiotics?

- The concentration of beta-lactam must be at least 50% of the dosing interval above the MIC. Carbapenems seem more powerful.
- Beta-lactam antibiotics have a minimal post-MIC effect.
- Decreasing the dosing interval may increase efficacy more than increasing the dose.
- When giving a continuous infusion, target free concentration is at least 4x the MIC (but higher does not give more effect).

What is the toxicity of aminoglycosides?

there is GFR loss in animals related to drug and days of treatment.
The toxicity is in the next order: Gentamicin > Netilmicin > Tobramycin
This is researches and analyzed with RIFLE (Risk, Injury and Failure) Gentamicin scored worse than tobramycin.

What is the PK/PD summary of aminoglycosides?

- it is concentration dependent killing of bacteria
- there is a large post-MIC effect
- there is adaptive resistance
- Increasing dose increases efficacy. peak/MIC ratio > 8
- increasing dosing interval decreases renal toxicity
- possible cumulative ototoxicity
- gentamicin is more nephrotoxic than tobramycin.

What is the summary of the fluoroquinolones?

- They are concentration dependent killing of bacteria
- increasing dose increases efficacy
- AUC/MIC is the predictive parameter. (for ciprofloxacin this is > 125 for gram - bacteria and > 40 for gram + bacteria)

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