[Antimicrobial chemotherapy of infection in intensive care conditions].

Antimicrobiologic chemotherapy is a cornerstone in the modern concept of treatment of sepsis. It is supported by a number of measures of intensive care. Externally acquired infections followed by sepsis mainly affect immunocompromised patients. They represent the minority. On the other hand, nosocomial infections play a dominant role in intensive care units. Nosocomial pneumonias and infections caused by intravascular plastics or endoprotheses are the most important reasons of sepsis. Initial antimicrobiologic therapy considers both the infectious focus and the specific epidemiology and resistance of microorganisms present in the department: it comprises the drawing of 2 to 3 blood cultures, taking of urinary cultures, tracheal secretion, liquor and wound-swaps for microbiologic examination. A gramstaining of the preparation can be helpful. In case the focus of the sepsis is not known, the first step of treatment consists of a combination of piperacilline or cephalosporins with aminoglycosides. If the septic state does not improve within 48 hours, a glycopeptide should be added against staphylococci (second step). If the combination fails, imipenem/cilastatin and aminoglycosides are administered as the third step. Normally, the result of cultures and resistogram already are available by this time. Today aminoglycosides are preferably given once daily, the serum level is monitored, and the toxicity of aminoglycosides is thus diminished.