Antibacterial therapy: problems and promises, Part I.

Agents approved for clinical use in the past five years and others most likely to be available in the near future are evaluated in this two-part review. This installment is devoted entirely to the beta-lactam antibiotics--penicillins, cephalosporins, monobactams, and carbapenems. There are more similarities than differences among them, but the variations give each agent a range of appropriate uses.