Changes in antimicrobial agent usage resulting from interactions among clinical pharmacy, the infectious disease division, and the microbiology laboratory.

Rapid reporting of culture and susceptibility data is the first of several important steps in the successful management of infected patients. As has been said many times, rapidly reported data are of little value unless the patient directly benefits. Benefit requires better overall communication and an action plan linked to timely use of these results.

The influence of intravenous cimetidine dosage regimens on the disposition of theophylline.

The influence of the method of cimetidine administration on theophylline disposition was studied in nine healthy, cigarette smoking male volunteers. The treatment phases consisted of: A) theophylline alone, B) theophylline plus intermittent cimetidine therapy (300 mg IV every 6 hr), and C) theophylline in combination with continuous infusion cimetidine (50 mg/hr). Theophylline (4.

Vancomycin-associated exfoliative dermatitis during continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

Vancomycin is commonly prescribed to patients undergoing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) for catheter-related infections and acute episodes of peritonitis. Although adverse dermatological reactions have been reported secondary to the rapid intravenous infusion of vancomycin, the intraperitoneal route of administration has been used routinely during CAPD without these effects. This case report describes a CAPD patient with systemic lupus erythematosus who developed erythema multiforme that progressed to exfoliative dermatitis during intermittent intraperitoneal vancomycin therapy for a catheter-related exit-site/tunnel infection.