Duration of antibiotics that were too long

Oct 13, 2025 by talynt.org 16 views

Qualitative Evaluation of the Use of Antibiotics in Post-Surgical Patients at H. Adam Malik Hospital

Introduction

The use of antibiotics in post-surgical patients is a crucial aspect of the healing process. However, the misuse of antibiotics can lead to serious consequences, including the development of antibiotic resistance. In this study, we aimed to evaluate the quality of antibiotics use in post-surgical patients at H. Adam Malik Hospital using the Gyssens method. This study was conducted during the period July to September 2012 and aimed to assess how rational the use of antibiotics in the post-surgical context.

Methodology

The study used a cross-sectional design, which involves collecting data at one point in time from a randomly selected sample. The data analyzed included post-surgical medical records of patients who received antibiotics. Data collection was carried out retrospectively for the period July to August 2012 and prospectively in September 2012. The data processing was carried out using Microsoft Excel 2007, and analysis was performed using SPSS version 13.0.

Results

The evaluation results show that only 47.5% of the use of antibiotics declared rational (category 0), while 50.7% was not rational. From the irrational category, various problems were found, including:

Incorrect interval: 1.1%
Duration of antibiotics that were too long: 16.9%
Duration of antibiotics that were too short: 14.4%
More effective alternative treatments: 18.3%
Incomplete information: 1.8%

The most common use of antibiotics was as empirical therapy (38%), followed by definitive therapy (14.4%). The most commonly used antibiotics were Ceftriaxone, both for empirical and prophylactic therapy. The majority of patients were given 1-2 types of antibiotics (50%), with an average length of treatment ranging from 6 to 10 days (28.6%). In terms of cost, the use of antibiotics during post-surgical patient care at H. Adam Malik Hospital ranged from Rp 100,000 to Rp 500,000, which covers 44.3% of total patients.

Discussion

The results of this study indicate that despite the use of antibiotics in post-surgical patients at H. Adam Malik Hospital, mostly carried out rationally, there are still significant proportions of improper use. This is important to note, given the use of irrational antibiotics can contribute to increasing antibiotic resistance, which is one of the big challenges in the world of health today.

The use of more careful and rational antibiotics must be a priority, given the side effects that may be caused and higher costs if treatment must be done repeatedly due to failure therapy. Education to medical personnel regarding the protocol of the use of the right antibiotics is a crucial step in improving the quality of the use of antibiotics.

Conclusion

This study provides important insights for hospital management and health workers to improve the quality of antibiotics use, especially in post-surgical patients. This will not only improve the patient's clinical results but also contribute to the control and prevention of antibiotic resistance. Efforts to increase the rationality of the use of antibiotics must continue to be carried out, so that patients get the best safe and effective treatment.

Recommendations

Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations are made:

Improve education and training for medical personnel regarding the protocol of the use of antibiotics.
Increase the use of rational antibiotics, such as Ceftriaxone, for empirical and prophylactic therapy.
Reduce the duration of antibiotics to prevent the development of antibiotic resistance.
Monitor and evaluate the use of antibiotics regularly to ensure that they are used rationally.
Develop and implement policies and guidelines for the use of antibiotics in post-surgical patients.

Limitations

This study has several limitations, including:

Small sample size: The study only included a small sample of post-surgical patients who received antibiotics.
Retrospective data collection: The study used retrospective data collection, which may not accurately reflect the current use of antibiotics.
Limited data analysis: The study only analyzed data from a single hospital, which may not be representative of other hospitals.

Future Research Directions

Future research should aim to:

Increase the sample size to include a larger number of post-surgical patients.
Use prospective data collection to ensure that the data is more accurate and up-to-date.
Analyze data from multiple hospitals to ensure that the findings are representative of other hospitals.
Develop and implement policies and guidelines for the use of antibiotics in post-surgical patients.

References

Gyssens, I. C. (1997). Antibiotic use in hospitals: a review of the literature. Journal of Antimicrobial Chemotherapy, 40(2), 155-164.
World Health Organization. (2015). Antibiotic resistance: global report on surveillance. World Health Organization.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2019). Antibiotic resistance threats in the United States. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about the Use of Antibiotics in Post-Surgical Patients

Q: What is the importance of using antibiotics in post-surgical patients?

A: The use of antibiotics in post-surgical patients is crucial to prevent infections and promote healing. Antibiotics can help to reduce the risk of surgical site infections, which can be life-threatening if left untreated.

Q: What is the Gyssens method, and how is it used in this study?

A: The Gyssens method is a framework for evaluating the quality of antibiotic use in hospitals. It involves assessing the appropriateness of antibiotic use, including the choice of antibiotic, dosage, and duration of treatment. In this study, the Gyssens method was used to evaluate the quality of antibiotic use in post-surgical patients at H. Adam Malik Hospital.

Q: What are the common problems found in the use of antibiotics in post-surgical patients?

A: The study found several common problems in the use of antibiotics in post-surgical patients, including:

Incorrect interval
Duration of antibiotics that were too long
Duration of antibiotics that were too short
More effective alternative treatments
Incomplete information

Q: What are the most commonly used antibiotics in post-surgical patients?

A: The most commonly used antibiotics in post-surgical patients were Ceftriaxone, both for empirical and prophylactic therapy.

Q: What is the average length of treatment for post-surgical patients?

A: The average length of treatment for post-surgical patients ranged from 6 to 10 days.

Q: What is the cost of antibiotics in post-surgical patient care?

A: The cost of antibiotics in post-surgical patient care ranged from Rp 100,000 to Rp 500,000, which covers 44.3% of total patients.

Q: What are the recommendations for improving the quality of antibiotic use in post-surgical patients?

A: The recommendations for improving the quality of antibiotic use in post-surgical patients include:

Improving education and training for medical personnel regarding the protocol of the use of antibiotics
Increasing the use of rational antibiotics, such as Ceftriaxone, for empirical and prophylactic therapy
Reducing the duration of antibiotics to prevent the development of antibiotic resistance
Monitoring and evaluating the use of antibiotics regularly to ensure that they are used rationally
Developing and implementing policies and guidelines for the use of antibiotics in post-surgical patients

Q: What are the limitations of this study?

A: The study has several limitations, including:

Small sample size
Retrospective data collection
Limited data analysis

Q: What are the future research directions for this study?

A: Future research should aim to:

Increase the sample size to include a larger number of post-surgical patients
Use prospective data collection to ensure that the data is more accurate and up-to-date
Analyze data from multiple hospitals to ensure that the findings are representative of other hospitals
Develop and implement policies and guidelines for the use of antibiotics in post-surgical patients

Q: What are the implications of this study for hospital management and health workers?

A: The study provides important insights for hospital management and health workers to improve the quality of antibiotics use, especially in post-surgical patients. This will not only improve the patient's clinical results but also contribute to the control and prevention of antibiotic resistance.