Management of Bacterial Urinary Tract Infections in Adults

Abstract

OBJECTIVE: To provide a comprehensive review of the diagnosis and therapeutic management considerations in patients with urinary tract infections (UTIs). DATA SOURCES: A MEDLINE search was used to identify pertinent English language literature, including reviews. Infectious disease textbooks were used for background information. STUDY SELECTION: Clinical trials evaluating drug therapy in a variety of patient populations with UTIs were reviewed. DATA EXTRACTION: Background information was obtained from comprehensive reviews. Drug dosing strategies and efficacy comparisons were extracted from the investigations in this area. DATA SYNTHESIS: Information was processed to provide general guidelines and resources for practitioners to use in managing UTIs. CONCLUSIONS: There are a number of useful antibiotics for the management of UTIs. The distinctions between infection severity and underlying risk factors within a given population influence the appropriateness of drug selection and duration of treatment.