Directed therapy refers to the treatment of infections based on specific knowledge of what the causal agent is able to be treated with.
It is the opposite to empiric therapy, which refers to the treatment of infections based on the clinical suspicion about what the agent should be able to be treated with, based on experience or guidelines.
[2] Empiric therapy is often commenced first, particularly important when antimicrobial sensitivities are not known, or when a severe infection such as one causing sepsis has been identified.
[3] In this circumstance, the decision may be made for empiric therapy first.
[2] Directed therapy is considered important because it ensures a person is completely treated for an infection, and because it can help lower the rate of antimicrobial resistance.