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Ventilator-associated pneumonia
Guidelines
Key sources
The following summarized guidelines for the evaluation and management of ventilator-associated pneumonia are prepared by our editorial team based on guidelines from the Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA/ATS 2016).
1
Diagnostic investigations
Medical management
Initiation of antibiotics: as per ATS/IDSA 2016 guidelines, use clinical criteria alone, rather than using serum procalcitonin plus clinical criteria, to decide whether or not to initiate antibiotic therapy in patients with suspected ventilator-acquired pneumonia.
A
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Duration of treatment
Antibiotic dosing
Empiric antibiotic therapy
Empiric MRSA coverage
Empiric antipseudomonal coverage
Aminoglycosides
Colistin
Specific circumstances
Patients with VAP due to carbapenem-resistant pathogens
As per ATS/IDSA 2016 guidelines:
Administer intravenous polymyxins such as colistin or polymyxin B, in patients with hospital-acquired pneumonia/VAP caused by a carbapenem-resistant pathogen that is sensitive only to polymyxins.
A
Consider administering adjunctive inhaled colistin.
C
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Patients with VAP due to MRSA
Patients with VAP due to P. aeruginosa
Patients with VAP due to ESBL organisms