Journal of hospital medicine : an official publication of the Society of Hospital Medicine
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Multicenter Study
The association of patient complexities with antibiotic ordering.
Antibiotic treatment decisions for medically complex patients are complicated, as the risk of undertreatment may be severe, whereas overtreatment may be associated with adverse effects and the emergence of antibiotic resistant pathogens. ⋯ In 3 vignettes depicting common clinical scenarios among hospitalized adults, inappropriate antibiotic use was prevalent and occurred more often for patients with medical complexities. Treatment guidelines should consider addressing medically complex patients in the context of infection management.