Vancomycin is on the list of reserve antimicrobials that require filling an order form for reserved antimicrobials by doctor and then by the pharmacist who dispenses the medicines. Because vancomycin has a narrow therapeutic window, minimal blood levels should be monitored during treatment and should range between 7 and 14 μmol/L. It is the last-resort antimicrobial agent when treatment with other agents is ineffective due to bacterial drug resistance, but vancomycin resistant strains have already emerged due to its uncontrolled use.
A retrospective research was performed and the final sample consisted of 137 patients treated parenterally with vancomycin in 2018 at Murska Sobota General Hospital. We evaluated the extent to which employees follow the vancomycin treatment monitoring algorithm in wards and in the hospital pharmacy; we monitored indications for vancomycin use, dose adequacy and duration of treatment; we evaluated treatment outcomes and adverse effects (mainly acute renal failure, which is one of the major problems of vancomycin treatment); we monitored laboratory parameters related to vancomycin or infection and concomitant prescription medications. We also conducted a chronological review of vancomycin use at Murska Sobota General Hospital in 2011–2018 and management of therapeutic monitoring of vancomycin.
Vancomycin was the most commonly used in intensive care units and the most common indication for vancomycin was sepsis. In 52,6 % cases, the starting dose of vancomycin was 1 g/12 h and in 24,8 % it was 1 g/24 h. Initial dosing was correct in relation to renal function in 86,6 % of patients, whereas no initial dosing based on body weight was found. Only 50,4 % of all measurements of the minimum vancomycin concentration in the blood were within the therapeutic range and 16,8 % of patients did not reach the therapeutic range even once during treatment. According to our criteria acute renal failure occured in 16 patients (11,7 %) and renal function overall decreased in 29,2 % of patients. Data about treatment with vancomycin in hospital pharmacy were in 27,6 % in accordance with the actual data at wards. From the order form it was estimated that the pharmacist advised correctly in 79,6 % of cases and his advice was mostly accepted (89,5 %). Vancomycin consumption at Murska Sobota General Hospital has been increasing over the years and in proportion to this, the number of patients undergoing therapeutic drug monitoring is increasing.
According to these results, we suggest additional options for optimizing vancomycin treatment at Murska Sobota General Hospital.
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