Implementing an Antimicrobial Stewardship Program

●      Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR): Microorganisms such as bacteria, fungi, viruses and parasites change when exposed to antimicrobial drugs such as antibiotics (= antibacterials), antifungals, antivirals, antimalarials and anthelmintics. As a result, the medicines become ineffective.

●      Antimicrobial Stewardship (AMS): A coherent set of actions which promote the responsible use of antimicrobials. This definition can be applied to actions at the individual level as well as the national and global level, and across human health, animal health and the environment.

●      Antimicrobial Stewardship Program (ASP): An organizational or system-wide health-care strategy to promote appropriate use of antimicrobials through the implementation of evidence-based interventions

●      Days of Therapy (DOTs): The number of days a patient receives an antibiotic independent of dose.

●      Defined Daily Dose (DDD): Assumed average maintenance dose per day for a medicine used for its main indication in adults as established by the WHO Collaborating Centre for Drug Statistics and Methodology.

●      Empirical Antibiotic Treatment: Initial antibiotic treatment targeted at the most probable causative microorganism. The recommendations should be based on local susceptibility data, available scientific evidence or expert opinion, when evidence is lacking.