Selection criteria of antibiotics or, in other words, what is the adequate ATB?”

The choice of the adequate antibiotic treatment depends on various factors, including the predominant flora in the community and in the hospital as well as its sensitivity and resistance profile.  The healthcare worker needs this information to be able to select the adequate system for each case so that the patient is not exposed to a suboptimal drug or, on the contrary, to one that exceeds the requirements of the case.

Pre-surgical prophylaxis consists in the administration of one or more antibiotics prior to a surgery with the aim of reducing the incidence of surgical site infections.  This drug is to be cautiously selected at the moment of administration; its dose, route and duration being clearly determined.