“If you give antibiotics to a patient with a viral infection, he will get well in one week. If you don’t, he will get well in seven days.” So, said my pharmacology professor when I was studying medicine.
With the CDC (Center for Disease Control and Prevention) designating November 12 – 18 “Get Smart About Antibiotics” week, this seems like a good time to address the shared antibiotic stewardship between patient and medical professionals.
Antibiotics were once considered “wonder drugs”- efficiently fighting diseases from pneumonia, diarrhoea, ear and sinus infections. Unfortunately, overuse has caused yesterday’s wonder drugs to be not so wonderful in face of new super bacteria ironically mutated through the misuse of antibiotics.
There’s no such thing as “just in case”
Embarrassingly, it is the medical profession that is most culpable for the inappropriate use of antibiotics. Studies indicate that nearly 50% of antimicrobial use in hospitals is unnecessary or inappropriate. Some doctors may not have kept up to date on the latest protocols for the right use of antibiotics. Other doctors write out prescriptions to “be safe”.
Patient demands can put pressure on doctors to prescribe antibiotics even though they are ineffective for their infections. Almost everyday I am asked for antibiotics for viral infections, such as a cold, cough, flu or most bronchitis. It usually would be easier to write out the prescription than face the frustration and, sometimes, anger when I explain that antibiotics are not going to make them feel better, make them less contagious or cure their viral infections. In fact, each time a person takes antibiotics, sensitive bacteria are killed, but the resistant germs are left to grow, mutate and multiply. Repeated, inappropriate use of antibiotics will jeopardise the effectiveness of essential drugs leaving you more vulnerable to the life-threatening super bacterias.
Hospitals, clinics and your own doctor’s surgery are great breeding areas for microbes! Viruses and bacterias are spread from patient to patient in airborne molecules and through physical contact. Medical professionals may forget to wash their hands or change gloves between patients! Hygiene is one of the most important factors in preventing the spread of contagious infections.
Making a good diagnosis
Antibiotics are needed when your doctor diagnoses you with an infection caused by a bacteria. Lab tests are essential to make a good diagnosis.
A sore throat caused by Streptococcus A can not be definitively diagnosed by simply looking at the throat. – no matter how inflamed the throat is.
Acute bronchitis, or chest cold, occurs when the bronchial tubes leading to the lungs become inflamed. This usually follows an upper respiratory infection like a cold. Antibiotics are rarely required in acute bronchitis as it is almost always viral in origin -no matter what the colour and consistency of the sputum you are coughing up.
Acute rhinosinusitis has been traditionally treated with antibiotics, however a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in December 2007 found that antibiotics were ineffective in treating the majority of these infections. Antibiotic therapy should be reserved for acute rhinosinusitis patients meeting specific criteria and then should be narrow-spectrum agents targeting the most likely pathogens such as Streptococcus pneumoniae or Haemophilus influenzae.
Preventing an infection is easier than treating one. No antibiotic or other medication is as effective as practicing good hand hygiene. Keep your immune system healthy with a vitamin-rich, low-fat diet. Reduce environmental risk factors by not smoking and avoiding second-hand smoke.
This article was written by Dra. P. A. Anthony, Clinica Santa Cecilia Medical Director and General Practitioner. Call us today at +34 95 252 1024 to set up your appointment with Dra. Anthony.