ANTIBIOTIC THERAPY IN PANCREATITIS: PRINCIPLES, CLINICAL GUIDELINES, AND MODERN APPROACHES

Abstract

Pancreatitis remains one of the most significant inflammatory disorders of the gastrointestinal system and is associated with substantial morbidity and mortality worldwide. The role of antibiotics in the management of pancreatitis, particularly acute pancreatitis, has been debated extensively over recent decades. This review article evaluates the principles of antibiotic therapy in pancreatitis, indications for antimicrobial administration, current clinical guidelines, microbial spectrum, prophylactic use, therapeutic approaches, and complications associated with irrational antibiotic use. Modern evidence demonstrates that routine prophylactic antibiotics are not universally recommended in sterile pancreatic necrosis; however, targeted antimicrobial therapy is crucial in infected pancreatic necrosis and septic complications.