Open AccessVancomycin Continuous Infusion: a Cohort of 23 Intensive Care Unit Patients
Author(s) -
Matthews Zachariah
Publication year - 2001
Publication title -
the australian journal of hospital pharmacy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
ISSN - 0310-6810
DOI - 10.1002/jppr2001312108
Subject(s) - vancomycin , medicine , dosing , intensive care unit , continuous infusion , intensive care , regimen , retrospective cohort study , anesthesia , pharmacokinetics , intensive care medicine , surgery , biology , bacteria , genetics , staphylococcus aureus
Objective: To observe the phannacokinetic impact of administering vancomycin by continuous infusion in selected patients in the Royal Prince Alfred Hospital (RPAH) General Intensive Care Unit. Method: A retrospective review was performed of patients given vancomycin by continuous infusion in the General Intensive Care Unit over a four‐year period from June 1996 to May 2000. Results: Twenty‐six critically ill patients treated with continuous infusion vancomycin were identified. Twenty‐three of the 26 patients also received a regimen of vancomycin by intermittent dosing during the same admission to the unit. The pharmacokinetic data for these 23 patients are presented. The results of this review support the findings of previous studies that vancomycin given by continuous infusion achieves a better phannacokinetic profile than intermittent dosing.