Community-Acquired Respiratory Infections: Antimicrobial Management PDF

Preface

Even in this age of modern medicine, community-acquired respiratory tract infections continue to plague mankind. Most recently, with the outbreak of the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) virus, we have seen the potential danger these infections pose in our increasingly global world.

In this publication our objective is to address the current and emerging issues and problems facing the clinician in the treatment of communityacquired respiratory tract infections. One of these problems is the lack of rapid diagnostic tools, which may result in treatments that focus around empirical therapy.An issue of concern is the increased reporting of antibioticresistant organisms, indicating that some antimicrobial agents have limited utility. This in turn increases the pressure on the clinician to prescribe newer and newer medications.

The question becomes how much of this is a real issue and how much involves the marketing strategies of drug manufacturers. Out of necessity, issues related to drug choice and doses and dosing regimens become important considerations. Concurrently, most modern approaches to dosage and dosage issues involve incorporating the pharmacodynamic properties of antibiotics into the decision-making process. In addition, the pressures of managed care to see as many patients as possible in the shortest period of time present real challenges for the practitioner.

The book reviews each important community-acquired disease state and focuses on the objectives described above. The discussion of antibiotics is from two perspectives: clinical use and pharmacodynamics, for use in prescribing doses and dosing regimens based on the most recent information.

Recognized experts in the pharmacology and pharmacodynamics of antibiotics have contributed chapters on specific classes of antibiotics. Specialists in infectious disease and experts in the treatment of communityacquired respiratory infections have written the clinical chapters. These chapters focus on clinical presentation, diagnostic modalities, and treatment.

This book is a practical guide for the treatment of the most common community-associated respiratory infections. In addition to the medical aspects of the treatment of patients, the book provides the pharmacodynamic basis for some of the treatment drug choices, especially for the dose and dosing regimen. It incorporates the most recent data and combines it with proven clinical approaches. Antimicrobial recommendations from practice management guidelines have been included whenever appropriate. This material will be useful and practical for clinicians in the management of patients with community-acquired respiratory infections.

This book is a collaborative effort of pharmacologists, clinical pharmacists, and physicians that will be invaluable to all. In particular, it should be of interest and service to family practitioners, general internists, infectious disease specialists, pulmonologists, and pharmacists.