Antibiotic dosing in obesity: size does matter?

Abstract

Currently, from 15 to 50% of the population in the developed countries has obesity. Overall, patients with obesity have a higher risk of infection; they are more likely to develop infectious complications after surgical interventions and have a higher mortality rate. Administration of antimicrobial therapy to obese patients is difficult due to changes in pharmacokinetics of antibiotics in such patients. Despite the importance of antibiotic dosing in patients with overweight and obesity, there is a lack of research in this area of clinical pharmacology. This review summarizes the currently available studies and literature data on approaches to antibiotic dosing in obese patients.

Keywords

• overweight
• obesity
• antibiotics
• pharmacokinetics
• dosing