From starting mechanical ventilation to ventilator-associated pneumonia, choosing the right moment to start antibiotic treatment

The diagnosis of ventilator-associated pneumonia (VAP) requires compliance with clinical, microbiological, and radiological criteria. However, any clinician would be able to report those cases in which, although there are suggestive elements of lung infection, the criteria for a standard VAP diagnosis are not met. In these cases, doctors face the question whether to start an antibiotic treatment. This situation has probably led to the emergence of new diagnostic standards.

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From starting mechanical ventilation to ventilator-associated pneumonia, choosing the right moment to start antibiotic treatment. Paula Ramirez, Cristina Lopez-Ferraz, Monica Gordon, Alexandra Gimeno, Esther Villarreal, Jesús Ruiz, Rosario Menendez and Antoni Torres. Critical Care. 2016;20:169. DOI: 10.1186/s13054-016-1342-1