Optimizing Antibiotic Administration in Surgery: Importance of Timing for Effective Infection Prevention

A cardiac surgeon orders cefazolin 1 g IV “on call” to the operating room for a patient scheduled for a heart valve replacement. The surgery is scheduled for 7:00 am the next morning. What is the rationale for giving the antibiotic at 6:30 am? The last dose was administered more than 8 hours ago. A. The cefazolin must be given 60 minutes before the procedure for legal reasons. B. The cefazolin must be given within 60 minutes before the first skin incision to reach therapeutic concentrations. C. The cefazolin trough level will be checked at 6:00 am, which would allow the level to come back before administration of the “on call” dose. D. The last dose was administered yesterday

B

The rationale for giving the antibiotic at 6:30 am is not because the last dose was administered more than 8 hours ago. The correct answer is B. The cefazolin must be given within 60 minutes before the first skin incision to reach therapeutic concentrations. This is because giving the antibiotic within an hour of the first incision ensures that the drug reaches effective levels in the bloodstream and prevents any potential infections that might occur during the procedure. The timing of the antibiotic administration is crucial as it ensures that the patient is optimally protected against potential bacterial infections during surgery. The other options given are not relevant or correct. Therefore, Option B is the correct answer.

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