A Review of Commonly Prescribed Antibiotics: Back to Basics
Antibacterial therapy offers many choices. Guidelines help clinicians make the optimal antibiotic choice for treatment of specific infectious diseases, but recommended treatment options can change with the development of antimicrobial resistance and the introduction of newer agents. Pharmacists must maintain updated knowledge about antibiotics, including spectrum of activity, therapeutic uses, ADRs, and drug interactions. This course covers commonly used antibiotics, serving as a refresher on mechanism of action; spectrum of activity; common clinical uses, resistance mechanisms, ADRs and drug interactions; and patient counseling points.
Learning Objectives
After completing this course, the learner should be able to:
- Identify issues with antibiotic use and misuse.
- Identify the mechanism of action of commonly prescribed antibiotics.
- Identify uses for commonly prescribed antibiotics.
- List common or serious adverse drug reactions (ADRs) and drug interactions for commonly prescribed antibiotics.
- Recall patient education for commonly prescribed antibiotics.
About the Author:
Cheryl Durand, PharmD, is an associate professor of pharmacy practice at Massachusetts College of Pharmacy and Health Science (MCPHS) with a focus on infectious disease and pharmacy advocacy and leadership. Dr. Durand graduated from Northeastern University. At MCPHS, she is a preceptor for institutional advanced pharmacy practice experience students, and her practice site is Elliot Hospital in Manchester, New Hampshire. She serves as a member on the New Hampshire Board of Pharmacy Continuing Education Advisory Council and has been an executive board member of the New Hampshire Pharmacists Association since 2005; she is currently the vice president of the association. Dr. Durand is also a recipient of the 2014 Trustees’ Award for Teaching Excellence at MCPHS. Before joining MCPHS in 2007, she spent several years as a clinical pharmacist and clinical pharmacy manager in different hospital settings. In July 2017, Dr. Durand was appointed as the vice chair for the Pharmacy Practice Department at MCPHS School of Pharmacy Worcester/Manchester
How to receive credit:
- A minimum test score of 75 percent is needed to obtain a credit.
Activity Type - Knowledge-based
Target Audience - Pharmacists, Pharmacists Technicians
Disclosures:
- Contact hours will be awarded through the expiration date.
- You must score 75% or higher on the final exam and complete the course evaluation to pass this course and have your record of completion submitted through CPE Monitor and to the NABP.
- Through our review process, Colibri Healthcare, LLC ensures that this course content is presented in a balanced, unbiased manner and is free from commercial influence. It is Colibri Healthcare, LLC's policy not to accept commercial support.
- All persons involved in the planning and development of this course have disclosed no relevant financial relationships or other conflicts of interest related to the course content.
Colibri Healthcare, LLC is accredited by the Accreditation Council of Pharmacy Education (ACPE) as a provider of continuing pharmaceutical education. (Provider #0607).