Many patients with an infection requiring long-term antibiotic therapy can be treated with oral antibiotics once the infection has been brought under control. Davar et al listed criteria for selecting a patient for oral antibiotic therapy. The authors are from the University of Southern California Los Angeles, Birmingham VA Medical Center, King Abdulaziz Medical Center, University of Alabama, McGill University, Massachusetts General Hospital and the University of Bern.
Criteria for oral antibiotic therapy - all of the following:
(1) The patient is clinically and hemodynamically stable.
(2) Procedural source control has been achieved when appropriate, ideally with clearance of bacteremia.
(3) The patient is able to adequately absorb oral antibiotics from the GI tract.
(4) There is a published regimen available for the target pathogen(s).
(5) There are no factors (psychosocial, economic, other) that would favor IV antibiotics.
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