Antimicrobial Therapy and Mechanisms

These flashcards cover key vocabulary and concepts in antimicrobial therapy, infection signs, treatment mechanisms, and drug resistance.

Infection Symptoms

Evidence of infection typically includes fever and localized signs, with fever being the hallmark.

Left Shift

An increase in immature neutrophils (bands) in response to infection.

Procalcitonin

A biomarker useful for determining bacterial infections.

Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC)

The lowest concentration of an antibiotic that inhibits bacterial growth.

Antimicrobial Prophylaxis

The preventive use of antibiotics in high-risk individuals without current infection.

Empiric Therapy

Antibiotic treatment given before a culture result confirms an infection.

Drug Resistance Breakdown Points

Definitions of susceptibility testing categories: Susceptible, Intermediate, and Resistant.

90-60 Rule

Infections caused by susceptible isolates respond to therapy 90% of the time, while resistant isolates respond 60% of the time.

Clostridium difficile

A bacteria that can cause severe diarrhea and is often associated with antibiotic use.

Vancomycin

A glycopeptide antibiotic effective against gram-positive bacteria, especially MRSA.

Daptomycin

A cyclic lipopeptide antibiotic effective against multidrug-resistant gram-positive pathogens.

b-Lactams

A class of antibiotics that includes penicillin, acting on the bacterial cell wall synthesis.

Transpeptidase

An enzyme that facilitates the cross-linking of peptidoglycan layers in bacterial cell walls.

Carbapenems

A group of highly effective antibiotics that are resistant to many types of beta-lactamases.

Endocarditis

An infection of the inner lining of the heart, often presenting with fever and septicemia.

Blood Cultures

A test to detect bacteria in the bloodstream, essential for diagnosing infections.

Prothrombin Deficiency

A condition that can lead to bleeding issues, potentially caused by certain antibiotics.

Cross-Reactivity

The potential for allergic reactions to occur between different classes of beta-lactam antibiotics.

Bioavailability

The proportion of a drug that enters the circulation when introduced into the body and is available for action.