After completing this course, you will be able to

• Summarize the mechanism of action of the major classes of antimicrobial agents
• Outline the clinical indications for the most commonly used drugs in the major classes
• Appreciate the spectrum of activity and risk of adverse reactions for drugs in each major class
• Select initial, empirical antibiotic therapy on the basis of treatment efficacy, severity of illness (e.g., sepsis), and the potential for adverse events—including the development of antibiotic resistance
• Select the appropriate drug for a given infection with the lowest risk of facilitating antimicrobial resistance and the lowest risk of promoting C. difficile and other adverse events
• Treat for the shortest effective duration
• De-escalate initial empiric antimicrobial therapy based on culture results, susceptibility studies, and other diagnostic tests to minimize the use of unnecessary broad-spectrum treatment
• Decide when a consultation with an antimicrobial stewardship team and / or infectious diseases specialist is needed