Empiric therapy
Encyclopedia
Empiric therapy is a medical
term referring to the initiation of treatment prior to determination of a firm diagnosis
. It may be thought of as taking the initiative against an anticipated and likely cause of infectious disease
. It is most often used when antibiotic
s are given to a person before the specific microorganism
causing an infection
is known. Examples of this include antibiotics given for pneumonia
, urinary tract infection
s, and suspected bacterial meningitis
in newborns aged 0 to 6 months.
Empiric antibiotics are typically broad-spectrum, in that they treat a wide variety of possible microorganisms. When more information is known (as from a blood culture
), treatment may be changed to a different antibiotic which more specifically targets the microorganism known to be causing disease.
The advantage of indicating antibiotics empirically exists where a causative pathogen is likely albeit unknown and where diagnostic tests will not be influential to treatment. In this case, there may be little if any perceived benefit of using what may be costly and inconclusive tests that will only delay treatment of the same antibiotics.
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
term referring to the initiation of treatment prior to determination of a firm diagnosis
Diagnosis
Diagnosis is the identification of the nature and cause of anything. Diagnosis is used in many different disciplines with variations in the use of logics, analytics, and experience to determine the cause and effect relationships...
. It may be thought of as taking the initiative against an anticipated and likely cause of infectious disease
Infectious disease
Infectious diseases, also known as communicable diseases, contagious diseases or transmissible diseases comprise clinically evident illness resulting from the infection, presence and growth of pathogenic biological agents in an individual host organism...
. It is most often used when antibiotic
Antibiotic
An antibacterial is a compound or substance that kills or slows down the growth of bacteria.The term is often used synonymously with the term antibiotic; today, however, with increased knowledge of the causative agents of various infectious diseases, antibiotic has come to denote a broader range of...
s are given to a person before the specific microorganism
Microorganism
A microorganism or microbe is a microscopic organism that comprises either a single cell , cell clusters, or no cell at all...
causing an infection
Infection
An infection is the colonization of a host organism by parasite species. Infecting parasites seek to use the host's resources to reproduce, often resulting in disease...
is known. Examples of this include antibiotics given for pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
, urinary tract infection
Urinary tract infection
A urinary tract infection is a bacterial infection that affects any part of the urinary tract. Symptoms include frequent feeling and/or need to urinate, pain during urination, and cloudy urine. The main causal agent is Escherichia coli...
s, and suspected bacterial meningitis
Bacterial meningitis
Bacterial meningitis refers to meningitis that is caused by bacterial infection.-Signs and Symptoms:*Fever*Seizures*Meningismus*Headache*Vomiting*Photophobia*Altered mental status and coma*Anorexia...
in newborns aged 0 to 6 months.
Empiric antibiotics are typically broad-spectrum, in that they treat a wide variety of possible microorganisms. When more information is known (as from a blood culture
Blood culture
Blood culture is a microbiological culture of blood. It is employed to detect infections that are spreading through the bloodstream...
), treatment may be changed to a different antibiotic which more specifically targets the microorganism known to be causing disease.
The advantage of indicating antibiotics empirically exists where a causative pathogen is likely albeit unknown and where diagnostic tests will not be influential to treatment. In this case, there may be little if any perceived benefit of using what may be costly and inconclusive tests that will only delay treatment of the same antibiotics.