Antibiotic Duration Guide: Short-course suitability checklist for common infections when source control and clinical response are adequate.
Assessment Tier
Standard Duration
Score 0
Use standard guideline duration and reassess clinical trajectory.
Verified
Last Review: 2026-07-17
Use during early bedside triage when infection severity or treatment escalation is uncertain.
Support clinician judgement with a structured review of the highest-yield risk factors.
Standardise communication between admitting, ID, ICU, and pharmacy teams.
Source control achieved (+2)
Clear clinical improvement within 48-72h (+2)
Pathogen-directed therapy possible (+1)
Severe immunocompromise (-2)
Endovascular / osteo / deep-seated focus (-3)
Foreign body or prosthetic material retained (-2)
Interpret the result together with source control, microbiology, host factors, and trajectory.
Escalate imaging, cultures, or specialist review when the tool lands in a high-risk tier.
Reassess dynamically if the patient deteriorates or new microbiology becomes available.
This tool supports structured infectious-disease decision making but does not replace clinician judgement or local guideline pathways.
This OpiCalc infectious-disease entry reflects commonly used guideline criteria and bedside risk features used in contemporary clinical practice.
Last Comprehensive Review: 2026-07-17