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In critically ill patients, antibiotic treatments are often started empirically. Even after it becomes evident that the spectrum could be narrowed or that unnecessary antibiotics could be stopped, treatment is often continued without adjustment. To evaluate the magnitude of this problem, researchers used the CDC Assessment of Appropriateness of Inpatient Antibiotics tool to conduct a point prevalence study in 47 intensive care units (ICUs) in 12 U.S. centers on March 1, 2017. In all, 54% of the 667 ICU patients included in the study were receiving antibiotics: 61%, 24%, and 21% of the regimens were identified as empiric, directed, and prophylactic therapies, respectively.
Even though all participating hospitals reported active antibiotic ste…