O PAPEL DO FARMACÊUTICO FRENTE À RESISTÊNCIA ANTIMICROBIANA: impactos do uso indiscriminado de antimicrobianos no contexto clínico

Abstract

Antimicrobial resistance has become one of the most critical challenges in contemporary public health due to its rapid evolution and direct impacts on mortality, length of hospital stay, and complexity of hospital care. This study aimed to identify, through a literature review, the main factors that favor the increase of antimicrobial resistance in hospital settings and analyze its clinical and healthcare repercussions. The study was structured around three axes: factors associated with the inappropriate use of antimicrobials, the importance of the correct use of these drugs for future therapeutic effectiveness, and the role of the pharmacist in the prevention and management of infections. The literature reviewed shows that practices such as inappropriate prescribing, self-medication, indiscriminate use of antibiotics, and dispensing errors contribute directly to the selection of resistant microorganisms. It also demonstrates that the rational use of antimicrobials, in line with care protocols, reduces therapeutic failures and improves clinical outcomes. In this context, the pharmacist emerges as an essential agent in the multidisciplinary team, acting in the review of prescriptions, patient guidance, continuing education of teams, health surveillance, and participation in Stewardship Programs. It is concluded that strengthening pharmaceutical clinical practice is fundamental to promoting patient safety, improving care, and contributing effectively to combating antimicrobial resistance in hospitals.