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. Author manuscript; available in PMC: 2015 Mar 1.
Published in final edited form as: Int J Antimicrob Agents. 2013 Dec 17;43(3):223–230. doi: 10.1016/j.ijantimicag.2013.11.006

Table 1.

Pattern of activity of different antibacterial drugs and their associated pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) targets a

Mechanism of bactericidal effects based on in vitro data Antibiotic class PK/PD parameter(s) associated with efficacy Goal of dosing regimen
Concentration- dependent killing with moderate-to-persistent bactericidal effects Aminoglycosides
Fluoroquinolones
Metronidazole
Daptomycin
Ketolides		 Cmax/MIC
AUC0–24/MIC		 Maximise concentration: increase dose
Time-dependent killing with minimal-to-no persistent bactericidal effects β-Lactams:
 Penicillins
 Cephalosporins
Carbapenems
Aztreonam
Erythromycin		 T>MIC Maximise the duration of exposure: increase duration of infusion or frequency of administration
Time-dependent killing with moderate-to-prolonged persistent bactericidal effects Macrolides
Tetracyclines
Glycopeptides
Clindamycin
Linezolid b 		AUC0–24/MIC Maximise drug exposure: increase dose, frequency of administration or duration of infusion

Cmax, maximum serum concentration; MIC, minimum inhibitory concentration; AUC0–24, area under the concentration–time curve over a 24-h period; T>MIC, percentage of the dosing interval above the MIC.

a

Adapted with permission from Taylor and Francis Group LLC Books [10].

b

T>MIC has also been reported to be an appropriate PK/PD target for linezolid [9].