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I N F E C T I O N
P R E V E N T I O N
PREP TYPES
Skin Prep Characteristics and Cautions
Chlorhexidine Gluconate (CHG)
• Microbial kill: intermediately fast
• Residual activity: excellent
• Use on mucous membranes?: no
• Cautions: may cause cornea, inner ear damage
Isopropyl Alcohol
• Microbial kill: fast
• Residual activity: none
• Use on mucous membranes?: no
• Cautions: may cause cornea, nerve damage; may dry skin; flammable agent
Iodine and Iodophors
• Microbial kill: intermediately fast
• Residual activity: limited
• Use on mucous membranes?: yes, even on eyes
• Cautions: may irritate skin; may be inactivated by contact with blood or tissue proteins
SOURCE: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
On the Web
View supporting references at outpatientsurgery.net/forms
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bacterial risk on the limbs and joints.
When povidone-iodine is combined with isopropyl alcohol — a formulation that wasn't included in several of the studies — its antimicrobial power is boosted. Povidone-iodine works fast against a wide range of
