Even with a reduction in antimicrobial volume contributions, adjusting diluent volumes alone did not have a significant impact on the overall volume status, according to a study published in Hospital Pharmacy. For the study, Michael Behal, PharmD, and colleagues sought to examine how a pharmacist-led protocol for optimizing medication diluent volumes affects fluid balance in critically ill patients. Between October 2021 and April 2022, a prospective pilot study in a medical ICU examined the effects of a pharmacist-led protocol to optimize medication diluent volumes, focusing on vasopressors and antimicrobials. The study included 152 patients (123 pre-implementation, 29 post-implementation), with the most common diagnosis being acute respiratory failure. Despite significant reductions in antimicrobial diluent volumes in the post-implementation group, there was no significant difference in net fluid balance on day 3 compared with the pre-implementation group. Additionally, there were no significant differences in other secondary outcomes, such as medication volumes administered, ICU length of stay, or mortality.