Clinical pharmacology of the antimicrobial agents for infections in the ear, nose and throat.

Knowledge of which microorganisms cause infection in the ear, nose and throat must be coupled with an understanding of the susceptibility patterns of these bacteria as well as knowledge of the pharmacokinetic properties of antimicrobial agents. EVen though many of the bacteria which produce community-acquired infection are susceptible to the older agents, specific problems have developed with regard to species such as Hemophilus influenzae and to Staphylococcus aureus. Hospital-acquired infections due to Enterobacteriaceae may be resistant to the penicillin drugs and to some of the older cephalosporins and aminoglycosides. Use of the new agents often requires an understanding of how rapidly the compounds are cleared from the body or if they will accumulate to toxic levels in the elderly patient with decreased renal function. This article reviews the antimicrobial activity and clinical pharmacology of agents commonly used to treat infections of the ear, nose and throat.