Antimicrobials: beta-lactams, macrolides, aminoglycosides, quinolones
Pharmacology · MBBS
Study notes
A pneumonia patient is allergic to penicillin — azithromycin is chosen. Macrolides cover the 'atypical' organisms (mycoplasma, chlamydia, legionella) that beta-lactams miss, and they're the penicillin-allergy alternative for respiratory infections. But macrolide resistance is rising, and they prolong the QT interval — check the ECG with interacting drugs. The choice is organism + allergy + local resistance — empirical therapy is educated guessing refined by culture.
Related topics
- General pharmacology: pharmacokinetics — absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion
- General pharmacology: pharmacodynamics — receptors, dose-response, drug interactions
- General pharmacology: adverse drug reactions, pharmacovigilance
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- Autonomic drugs: adrenergic agonists and antagonists
- Cardiovascular drugs: antihypertensives, antianginal drugs