Formulary conversion of cefoxitin usage to cefotetan: experience at a large teaching hospital

The pharmacy and therapeutics committee at Hartford Hospital recommended replacement of cefoxitin with cefotetan, based on data reported in the literature regarding antimicrobial activity, pharmacokinetic profile, and adverse reactions. Once the recommendation was approved by the medical staff, an intense educational program was instituted, and all orders for cefoxitin were converted to cefotetan with appropriate dosage modifications. A total of 960 patients were treated in the first year; no major patterns of ineffectual therapy or adverse events associated with cefotetan usage have emerged. The mean cost of cefotetan therapy was $180.59, which is $130.26 less per patient than a comparable regimen of cefoxitin (mean cost of therapy $310.85). Based on the data analysis of cefotetan usage for a 12-month period, the actual annual savings due to therapeutic substitution of cefotetan for cefoxitin was $124.961. To further evaluate the clinical efficacy, safety, and savings of this therapeutic interchange, two separate retrospective reviews of patient medical records were performed. The first audit has been previously published in its entirety. In the subsequent audit, 284 additional patient medical charts have been reviewed. These patients received either cefotetan therapy or concomitant therapy of an aminoglycoside combined with either clindamycin or mezlocillin. Clinical outcomes were classified as an empiric cure or improvement for 99.4, 98.5, and 92.9 percent of patients, respectively. In this audit, elevated prothrombin time/partial thromboplastin time values and bleeding episodes were noted infrequently, as were other adverse reactions.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)