The PEST (Pathology, Epidemiology, Severity, Treatment) approach to optimizing antimicrobial therapy.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Selecting an empiric antimicrobial regimen can be difficult for early learners and misuse of antibiotics can lead to adverse events and antimicrobial resistance. There have been few interventions that have focused on improving antibiotic decision making, as a form of therapeutic reasoning, for post-graduate trainees. We describe here an approach to aid internal medicine interns in their therapeutic reasoning, particularly when it comes to diagnosing and empirically treating infections.

Methods

The PEST (pathology, epidemiology, severity, treatment) model was created as a four-step approach to therapeutic reasoning and choosing an appropriate antimicrobial regimen for a given infectious disease syndrome. In February 2020, we conducted two independent teaching sessi

SUBMITTER: Davar K 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10163704 | biostudies-literature | 2023 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature