AST: The Linchpin of Antimicrobial Stewardship.

The article offers information on the views of author on antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST). Topics discussed include AST guides optimal treatment for critically ill patients; prescriptions of inappropriate antibiotics on poor patient outcomes; long lag time between the Food and Drug Administration approval and inclusion in AST for antibiotics such as ceftolozane, tazobactam and ceftazidime; and importance of selection concentration of an antibiotic.