Impact of an Antimicrobial Stewardship Intervention on the Appropriateness of Carbapenem Use at a Tertiary Hospital in Malaysia

Introduction Carbapenems are broad-spectrum antibiotics used to treat infections caused by multidrug-resistant organisms. The inappropriate use of carbapenem results in the development of antimicrobial resistance. The aim of this study was to determine the impact of an antimicrobial stewardship intervention on the appropriateness of carbapenem use. Method The study includes a baseline/pre-intervention audit, an intervention, and a post-intervention study to examine the impact of antimicrobial stewardship activities on carbapenem use. Audit and data collection were carried out by filling up an audit form. The indicator for this study will be the appropriateness of carbapenem use (appropriate, suboptimal, or inappropriate) pre- and post-intervention. Results The overall appropriateness of carbapenem prescription in the medical wards increased from 65% to 83.3% following the implementation of antimicrobial stewardship intervention. The most common indication of carbapenem usage in our study was hospital-acquired pneumonia/ventilator-associated pneumonia. Conclusion Antimicrobial stewardship intervention is effective in improving the appropriateness of carbapenem use. Tailored stewardship programs are required to better control carbapenem use and combat antimicrobial resistance.