Drug of last resort

Drug of Last Resort

Drug of last resort (pronunciation: /drʌg ɒv lɑːst rɪˈzɔːrt/) is a term used in medicine to describe a pharmaceutical agent that is used when all other treatment options have failed or are inappropriate.

Etymology

The term "drug of last resort" is derived from the English words "drug" (from the Old French "drogue", possibly derived from the Dutch word "droog" meaning "dry", as in "dry goods"), "last" (from the Old English "læstan", meaning "to perform, to carry out") and "resort" (from the Old French "resortir", meaning "to go out again"). The term is used to describe the final option in a series of treatments.

Usage

In the context of pharmacology, a drug of last resort is typically used when a patient's condition has not responded to other, more commonly used drugs. These drugs are often more potent and may carry a higher risk of side effects. Examples of drugs of last resort include Vancomycin for MRSA infections and Carbapenems for certain drug-resistant bacterial infections.

Related Terms

• Antibiotic resistance
• Pharmacology
• Vancomycin
• Carbapenems
• MRSA

See Also

• First-line therapy
• Second-line therapy
• Third-line therapy

External links

• Medical encyclopedia article on Drug of last resort
• Wikipedia's article - Drug of last resort

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