Impact of Removing Gentamicin From an Antibiotic Restriction Program

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Abstract
Prescribing physicians at our institution were required to obtain approval from the Section of Infectious Diseases for use of gentamicin sulfate and other aminoglycosides. We studied the effect of removing gentamicin from the list of restricted antibiotics, noting that gentamicin usage increased while tobramycin sulfate usage decreased during the six-month period after decontrol, compared with the previous six-month period. However, the total amount of aminoglycoside antibiotics procured by the pharmacy did not change significantly. Indications for aminoglycoside use, pretreatment evaluation of the patient (other than an initial serum creatinine determination), and rates of nephrotoxicity during treatment did not change. Decontrol of gentamicin resulted in lower aminoglycoside costs for the pharmacy without apparent compromise in patient care.

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