A 76-year-old male visits his primary care physician with complaints of burning with urination and a frequent urge to void. The RN aids the patient in collecting a urine specimen to be sent for analysis. While awaiting the final results of drug susceptibility testing in the lab, the patient is prescribed oral sulfasoxazole.
-The in vitro susceptibility of the pathogen is established and the patient is maintained on sulfasoxazole.If no in vivo effect of the drug is observed by the patient following the first 7 days of antibiotics,what is the most appropriate action by the medical team?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

If the patient is not showing any in vivo effect of the drug after the first week of treatment, it may indicate that the pathogen is resistant to sulfasoxazole or that the infection is caused by a different pathogen. Therefore, the most appropriate action would be to discontinue sulfasoxazole and initiate a new antibiotic based on the susceptibility testing results. Increasing the dose of sulfasoxazole may lead to increased side effects without improving efficacy. Antiviral therapy is not indicated for a urinary tract infection caused by a bacterial pathogen.

A 76-Year-Old Male Visits His Primary Care Physician with Complaints