Managing an outpatient parenteral antibiotic therapy team: challenges and solutions

Figures & data

Figure 1 Proposed outline of outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy.

Abbreviations: ID, infectious diseases; IV, intravenous; OPAT, outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapy; PO, oral administration.

Table 1 Length of intravenous (IV) infusion for antibacterials that are frequently used in outpatient parenteral antimicrobial therapya

IV push or infusion	IV infusionb	Continuous infusionc
Aztreonam	Ampicillin ± sulbactam	Aztreonam
Cefazolin	Doripenem	Cefazolin
Cefepime	Ertapenem	Cefepime
Ceftazidime	Gentamicin	Ceftazidime
Ceftriaxone	Imipenem	Nafcillin
Daptomycin	Meropenem	Penicillin
Flucloxacillin	Teicoplanin	Piperacillin ± tazobactam
Teicoplanin	Ticarcillin ± clavulanate Tigecycline Tobramycin Vancomycin

Notes:

a Stability of individual agents may vary depending on temperature and device used for administration;

b IV infusions are typically administered over 30 to 90 minutes. The specific infusion time recommendations vary between specific drugs;

c continuous infusions are usually administered over 24 hours.