Appropriate Antimicrobial Therapy: A Professional Obligation

Abstract

The introduction of antibiotics represented a decisive milestone in medicine, transforming the prognosis of infectious diseases and enabling the safe development of surgical procedures, transplantation and a range of different treatments.

However, their widespread use has contributed to the rise of antimicrobial resistance, now regarded as one of the leading threats to public health. In this context, antibiotic prescribing cannot be understood as a routine act, but rather as a complex clinical decision that must integrate the site of infection, local epidemiology, resistance patterns and the individual characteristics of each patient. Therapeutic appropriateness is therefore essential and requires the selection of the most suitable antimicrobial at each stage, its administration via the appropriate route and for the necessary duration, as well as early reassessment of treatment in order to de-escalate whenever possible. Antimicrobial Stewardship Programmes can support this process and are essential for promoting effective, safe and responsible prescribing.