GUARDIANS OF RESISTANCE: A REVIEW OF ANTIMICROBIAL STEWARDSHIP AND IMPACT OF CLINICAL PHARMACISTS

AMS is a crucial aspect of healthcare in hospitals, aimed at optimizing antimicrobial usage to enhance individual patient treatment while minimizing the risk of developing resistance. With the escalating AMR globally and a limited pipeline for new antimicrobial agents, it has become even more critical to have robust AMS programs to preserve the effectiveness of existing antimicrobials. It is essential to have interdisciplinary teams comprising infectious diseases specialists, clinical pharmacists, clinical microbiologists, and infection control experts to oversee these programs with support from the hospital leadership. Strategies for modifying antimicrobial prescribing practices include educating prescribers on appropriate antimicrobial utilization, establishing restricted antimicrobial formularies, and providing feedback to prescribers on their antimicrobial prescribing practices. The integration of clinical computer systems can facilitate the execution of these strategies by providing tailored patient data and recommendations at the point of care. Infection prevention plays a vital role in AMS efforts, and effective prophylactic strategies can decrease the incidence of hospital-acquired infections, thereby improving patient outcomes and reducing the need for unnecessary antimicrobial exposure.

Keywords: AMS, infection, intensive care unit, low and middle-income countries, AMR, antimicrobials, prescribing