The 2% chlorhexidine gluconate (CHG) in 70% isopropyl alcohol (IPA) formulation is thought by many clinicians to be the most exciting breakthrough in antiseptics since povidone iodine. This formula has been recognized by the Centers for Disease Control as being more effective at reducing skin bacteria than other antiseptics, establishing a new standard for skin antiseptics. It exhibits rapid and persistent bactericidal activity and yet does not irritate the patient’s skin. Chlorhexidine is the antiseptic of the future.
The Centers for Disease Control has targeted the prevention of catheter-related infections. Catheter-related infections are a preventable problem that affect hundreds of thousands of patients every year. These infections increase patient morbidity, lengthen hospital stays, and require additional medical interventions. One critical step in the prevention of catheter-related infection is proper skin prepping with an effective antiseptic. Which antiseptic should you use? The CDC recently announced new Guidelines for the that for cutaneous antisepsis, “. . . a 2% chlorhexidine-based preparation is preferred . . .”
