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Antibiotics Review
Choosing an antibacterial agent can be challenging, given the wide array of drugs available. Learning the important properties and uses of these drugs is made easier by the fact that they are grouped in classes based on their biochemical structure. Members of a drug class share characteristics such as clearance, mechanism of action, absorption, and side effects; knowing these shared properties makes it easier to choose the appropriate agent for a particular patient. In addition, it is easier to quickly grasp the strengths and weaknesses of a newly marketed antibiotic if you understand the general pharmacology of its class. A good grasp of the use of specific agents to target specific bacteria leads to improved clinical response to treatment and a decrease in the likelihood of the development of microbial resistance. This course is intended as an overview of the general characteristics of the major antibiotic classes, with a brief discussion of the individual agents and indications, giving greater perspective to the actions and characteristics of antibiotics. Due to the large number of antibiotics available, this course focuses on eight major classes of antibiotics: the penicillins, cephalosporins, other beta-lactams, aminoglycosides, macrolides, quinolones, sulfonamides, and tetracyclines. A brief discussion of vancomycin and the newer glycopeptide analogues is also included.
The purpose of this course is to provide a review of the major classes of antibiotics and their characteristics as well as an overview of selected individual agents within each class that are most useful for today's clinical practitioner.
Target Audience
This course is designed for healthcare providers who prescribe and administer antibiotics to patients, including physicians, physician assistants, pharmacists, pharmacy technicians, nurses, nurse practitioners, and surgical technologists and assistants.
Learning Objectives
- Describe the general characteristics and mode of action of antibiotics commonly in use.
- Employ best practice principles for limiting the emergence and transmission of antimicrobial-resistant strains within the healthcare environment.
- Discuss the mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, and spectrum of activity of natural and extended-spectrum penicillins.
- Select the most appropriate, cost-effective cephalosporin based on "generational" characteristics and spectrum of activity.
- Describe the role of carbapenems and monobactams.
- Discuss the characteristics, expected toxicities, and indications for the use of aminoglycosides, macrolides, and sulfonamides.
- Outline the mechanism of action, pharmacokinetics, and advantages inherent to quinolones and the tetracyclines.
Additional Information
Donna Coffman, MD, attended medical school at the University of Louisville and completed her residency in Family Practice at St. John's Mercy Medical Center in St. Louis, Missouri. She is board-certified in Family Medicine and currently on staff at John Cochran VAMC in St. Louis.
Contributing faculty, Donna Coffman, MD, has disclosed no relevant financial relationship with any product manufacturer or service provider mentioned.
John M. Leonard, MD
Jane C. Norman, RN, MSN, CNE, PhD
Shannon E. Smith, MHSC, CST, CSFA
Randall L. Allen, PharmD
The division planners have disclosed no relevant financial relationship with any product manufacturer or service provider mentioned.
Director of Development and Academic Affairs
Sarah Campbell
The Director of Development and Academic Affairs has disclosed no relevant financial relationship with any product manufacturer or service provider mentioned.
The purpose of NetCE is to provide challenging curricula to assist healthcare professionals to raise their levels of expertise while fulfilling their continuing education requirements, thereby improving the quality of healthcare.
Our contributing faculty members have taken care to ensure that the information and recommendations are accurate and compatible with the standards generally accepted at the time of publication. The publisher disclaims any liability, loss or damage incurred as a consequence, directly or indirectly, of the use and application of any of the contents. Participants are cautioned about the potential risk of using limited knowledge when integrating new techniques into practice.
It is the policy of NetCE not to accept commercial support. Furthermore, commercial interests are prohibited from distributing or providing access to this activity to learners.
In support of improving patient care, NetCE is jointly accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME), the Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE), and the American Nurses Credentialing Center (ANCC), to provide continuing education for the healthcare team.
This activity was planned by and for the healthcare team, and learners will receive 5 Interprofessional Continuing Education (IPCE) credit(s) for learning and change. NetCE designates this enduring material for a maximum of 5 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit(s)™. Physicians should claim only the credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the participant to earn up to 5 MOC points in the American Board of Internal Medicine's (ABIM) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. Participants will earn MOC points equivalent to the amount of CME credits claimed for the activity. It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABIM MOC credit. Completion of this course constitutes permission to share the completion data with ACCME.
Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the evaluation component, enables the learner to earn credit toward the CME and/or Self-Assessment requirements of the American Board of Surgery's Continuous Certification program. It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit learner completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABS credit.
Successful completion of this CME activity, which includes participation in the activity with individual assessments of the participant and feedback to the participant, enables the participant to earn 5 MOC points in the American Board of Pediatrics' (ABP) Maintenance of Certification (MOC) program. It is the CME activity provider's responsibility to submit participant completion information to ACCME for the purpose of granting ABP MOC credit.
Through an agreement between the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education and the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, medical practitioners participating in the Royal College MOC Program may record completion of accredited activities registered under the ACCME's "CME in Support of MOC" program in Section 3 of the Royal College's MOC Program.
Special Approvals
This activity is designed to comply with the requirements of California Assembly Bill 1195, Cultural and Linguistic Competency.
Available Credit
- 5.00 AMA PRA Category 1 Credit™
Price
This course is offered through NetCE.
To take this course you will be redirected to NetCE website. You must login or create an account with NetCE in order to complete this activity.
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