Abstract
Information from a comprehensive drug surveillance programme is analysed to provide details of antibacterial drug use in medical wards. Some 28% of patients received antibacterial therapy, usually for the treatment of respiratory or urinary tract infections. The agents most frequently prescribed were ampicillin, co-trimoxazole and tetracyclines. Overall, 11% of recipients experienced one or more adverse effect of therapy. No significant bacterial growth was obtained from some 40% of specimens of sputum sent from patients. A plea is made for more rational use both of sputum culture in the investigation of patients with respiratory infection and of antibiotics in their treatment.
Full text
PDF
Selected References
These references are in PubMed. This may not be the complete list of references from this article.
- Caldwell J. R., Cluff L. E. Adverse reactions to antimicrobial agents. JAMA. 1974 Oct 7;230(1):77–80. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- JAWETZ E. ANTIBIOTICS REVISITED: PROBLEMS AND PROSPECTS AFTER TWO DECADES. Br Med J. 1963 Oct 19;2(5363):951–955. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.5363.951. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Jackson G. G. Perspective from a quarter century of antibiotic usage. JAMA. 1974 Feb 11;227(6):634–637. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Jick H., Miettinen O. S., Shapiro S., Lewis G. P., Siskind V., Slone D. Comprehensive drug surveillance. JAMA. 1970 Aug 31;213(9):1455–1460. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Kunin C. M., Tupasi T., Craig W. A. Use of antibiotics. A brief exposition of the problem and some tentative solutions. Ann Intern Med. 1973 Oct;79(4):555–560. doi: 10.7326/0003-4819-79-4-555. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Lawson D. H., Jick H. Drug prescribing in hospitals: an international comparison. Am J Public Health. 1976 Jul;66(7):644–648. doi: 10.2105/ajph.66.7.644. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Miller R. R. Drug surveillance utilizing epidemiologic methods. A report from the Boston Collaborative Drug Surveillance Program. Am J Hosp Pharm. 1973 Jul;30(7):584–592. [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Philp J. R., Spencer R. C. Secondary respiratory infection in hospital patients: effect of antimicrobial agents and environment. Br Med J. 1974 May 18;2(5915):359–362. doi: 10.1136/bmj.2.5915.359. [DOI] [PMC free article] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Shapiro S., Siskind V., Slone D., Lewis G. P., Jick H. Drug rash with ampicillin and other penicillins. Lancet. 1969 Nov 8;2(7628):969–972. doi: 10.1016/s0140-6736(69)90535-2. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]
- Tager I., Speizer F. E. Role of infection in chronic bronchitis. N Engl J Med. 1975 Mar 13;292(11):563–571. doi: 10.1056/NEJM197503132921105. [DOI] [PubMed] [Google Scholar]