Acute renal and neurotoxicity due to weight-based dosing of intravenous acyclovir: How to dose in obese patients?

Antimicrobial safety considerations in critically ill patients: part I: focused on acute kidney injury

INTRODUCTION

Antibiotic prescription is a challenging issue in critical care settings. Different pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties, polypharmacy, drug interactions, and high incidence of multidrug-resistant microorganisms in this population can influence the selection, safety, and efficacy of prescribed antibiotics.

AREAS COVERED

In the current article, we searched PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar for estimating renal function in acute kidney injury, nephrotoxicity of commonly used antibiotics, and nephrotoxin stewardship in intensive care units.

EXPERT OPINION

Early estimation of kidney function with an accurate method may be helpful to optimize antimicrobial treatment in critically ill patients. Different antibiotic dosing regimens may be required for patients with acute kidney injury. In many low-resource settings, therapeutic drug monitoring is not available for antibiotics. Acute kidney injury may influence treatment effectiveness and patient outcome.

Antimicrobial safety considerations in critically ill patients: part II: focused on anti-microbial toxicities

INTRODUCTION

Antibiotic prescription is a challenging issue in critical care settings. Different pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties, polypharmacy, drug interactions, and high incidence of multidrug-resistant microorganisms in this population can influence the selection, safety, and efficacy of prescribed antibiotics.

AREAS COVERED

In the current article we searched PubMed, Scopus and Google Scholar for neurotoxicities, hematologic toxicity and fluid stewardship in intensive care units.

EXPERT OPINION

Critically ill patients who receive antimicrobial agents should be monitored for neurological, hematologic toxicities especially seizure, thrombocytopenia, and clostridioides infections. Other toxicities including QTc prolongation, electrolyte disturbances, liver enzyme elevation, and infusion-related reactions were being considered. Other changes, including fluid overload, hypoalbuminemia, augmented renal clearance, increased cardiac outputs in septic shock, and acute kidney injury, may influence treatment efficiency and patient outcome.