Antimicrobial drug utilisation in hospitals in Italy and other European countries.

Antibiotic prescribing patterns in hospitals are analysed in this review of three drug utilisation studies conducted in six European countries, with special emphasis to the third-generation cephalosporins. A great variability in the use of antimicrobial drugs is evident, both between countries and between hospitals in the same country. This variability is found also between patients with the same infectious disease. The possible reasons for these differences are discussed and a strategy to modify the hospital drugs prescribing is suggested.