Pharmacist Involvement in Preventing Antimicrobial-Associated Diarrhea: Microbial Insights, Clinical Laboratory Interventions, Challenges and Barriers

Abstract

Antimicrobial-associated diarrhea is one of the major side effects of antibiotic therapy resulting from disruption of the gut microbiome and the overgrowth of pathogenic bacteria, such as Clostridium difficile. This is not only a danger to patients' health but also to the global challenge of antimicrobial resistance. Pharmacists are therefore placed to minimize risks through their active participation in antimicrobial stewardship programs, education of patients, and clinical intervention. This paper considers the multifaceted roles that pharmacists have, which include optimizing the use of antibiotics, campaigning for probiotics, and counseling on risks and managing AAD. However, there are also several challenges, such as little involvement in stewardship programs, knowledge gaps, and resource constraints. The barriers mentioned above need to be addressed to maximize their contributions. Indeed, application of pharmacogenomics in clinical practice offers an attractive possibility to individualize antibiotic treatment and reduce a risk of AAD by utilizing the skill of pharmacist embracing the revolution in the science of health care to serve better the patients, by making antimicrobial therapy safer and more effective, contributing to the international fight with the spread of antibiotic-resistant flora. This analysis summarises the need for a heightened level of pharmacist involvement in the treatment of AAD and discusses strategies to overcome the challenge so far created.