The cost of excessive postoperative use of antimicrobials: the context of a public hospital
Rafael Santos Santana, Ariane de Carvalho Viana, Jozimário da Silva Santiago, Michelle Santos Menezes, Iza Maria Fraga Lobo, Paulo Sergio Marcellini, Rafael Santos Santana, Ariane de Carvalho Viana, Jozimário da Silva Santiago, Michelle Santos Menezes, Iza Maria Fraga Lobo, Paulo Sergio Marcellini
Abstract
Objective: To evaluate the improper use of antimicrobials during the postoperative period and its economic impact.
Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study by collecting data from medical records of 237 patients operated on between 01/11/08 and 31/12/08.
Results: from the 237 patients with the information collected, 217 (91.56%) received antimicrobials. During the postoperative period, 125 (57.7%) patients received more than two antimicrobials. On average, 1.7 ± 0.6 antimicrobials were prescribed to patients, the most commonly prescribed antibiotic being cephalothin, in 41.5% (154) of cases. The direct cost of antimicrobial therapy accounted for 63.78% of all drug therapy, this large percentage being attributed in part to the extended antimicrobial prophylaxis. In the case of clean operations, where there was a mean duration of 5.2 days of antibiotics, antimicrobials represented 44.3% of the total therapy cost.
Conclusion: The data illustrate the impact of overuse of antimicrobials, with questionable indications, creating situations that compromise patient safety and increasing costs in the assessed hospital.
Source: PubMed