Inappropriate use of antimicrobials is a global challenge and contributes to increased microbial resistance and clinical complications. Effective management of these drugs is essential to optimize treatment and preserve the efficacy of antimicrobials. Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs (ASP) aim to ensure the appropriate use of antimicrobials (ATM) and achieve better clinical and microbiological outcomes, and several studies demonstrate the essential role of the clinical pharmacist in this context. Our objective was to evaluate pharmaceutical interventions in antimicrobials after the implementation of a clinical pharmacist dedicated to the ASP and specialized in infectious diseases. A retrospective and quantitative analysis of pharmaceutical interventions in antimicrobials was conducted in the years 2023, 2024, and the first quarter of 2025. Data were collected monthly, recording the reasons for interventions, total number and monthly average of interventions, and the adherence rate of medical teams. Among the three main reasons for pharmacotherapeutic interventions were duration of therapy, dose, and indication. In 2023, 3,353 interventions were recorded, with a monthly average of 279 and an adherence rate of 74.7%. In 2024, the total number of interventions increased to 4,298, with a monthly average of 358 and an adherence rate of 81.1%. In the first quarter of 2025, 1,389 interventions were performed, resulting in a monthly average of 463 and an adherence rate of 88.3%. These data demonstrate an increase over time in both the number of monthly interventions and the adherence of medical teams. The implementation of a specialist clinical pharmacist dedicated to antimicrobial management resulted in a substantial increase in pharmacotherapeutic interventions and in the adherence of medical teams. These results indicate that the presence of a professional specialized in the Antimicrobial Stewardship Program is essential to improve clinical practice and promote the appropriate use of antimicrobials, contributing to the fight against microbial resistance. Continuity and expansion of this model are recommended to further optimize clinical outcomes and patient safety.
Marins et al. (Sun,) studied this question.