Medicine
Choosing Skin Antiseptics to Prevent Central Line Infections
Quick fact
In a landmark 2002 trial, chlorhexidine-alcohol reduced catheter-related infections by 50% compared to povidone-iodine alone, leading to its recommendation as the first-choice antiseptic for central line insertion.
Why this is interesting
Every day, thousands of patients receive central lines—but a tiny oversight in skin preparation can lead to a life-threatening bloodstream infection. What if the simple choice of antiseptic could halve that risk?