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Appendix 3 : Guide to Antimicrobial Intravenous To Oral Conversion

Patients with infection who are treated by an initial course of intravenous antibiotics are candidates for conversion to oral antibiotic therapy.

RATIONALE:
1. Oral therapy can be as effective as parenterally administered anti-infectives in the treatment of infections
2. Reduce adverse effects due to parenteral therapy such as line infections and phlebitis
3. Oral antimicrobials are easier to administer than IV antimicrobial
4. Oral antimicrobial are always cheaper than IV therapy
5. Improve patient comfort, mobility and independence

TYPES OF CONVERSION

SEQUENTIAL SWITCH THERAPY STEP-DOWN
THERAPY THERAPY

Conversion from IV medication to the PO Conversion from injectable medication to an
Act of replacing a parenteral version oral agent in another class or to a different
of a medication with its oral equivalent that may be within the same medication within the same class where the
class and have the level of potency, but is
counterpart frequency, dose and the spectrum of activity
a different compound
Eg. IV azithromycin 500mg OD to may not be exactly the same
PO azithromycin 500mg OD Eg. Ceftriaxone 1gm IV q12h to
Amoxicillin/clavulanate 625mg PO q8h-12h

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