When to use antibiotics in the cirrhotic patient? The evidence base.

Bacterial infections are very common in advanced cirrhosis and are a leading cause of death of these patients. Early and appropriate empirical antibiotic treatment of infection is essential in determining patient's outcome. A strategy of careful restriction of prophylactic antibiotics to the high-risk populations could contribute to the reduction of multidrug resistant bacteria. This article reviews and reports the current knowledge in the use of antibiotics in the cirrhotic patient.