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Antibiotics: Use them wisely
Consequences of antibiotic resistance
When more and more bacteria become resistant to first line treatments, the consequences are severe. Illnesses last longer, and the risk of complications and death increases. In the United States alone, thousands of people die each year of infections they contract in the hospital from antibiotic-resistant bacteria. The inability to treat a particular infection leads to longer periods in which a person is contagious and able to spread the resistant strains to others.
The failure of first line treatments also means that doctors have to resort to less-conventional medications, many of which are much more costly and more toxic than common drugs are. For instance, the drugs needed to treat multidrug-resistant forms of tuberculosis (TB) are much more expensive than are the drugs used to treat nonresistant TB. The course of treatment is long — up to two years — and the side effects can be severe.
Other consequences are the increased costs associated with prolonged illnesses, including the direct expense for additional laboratory tests, treatments and hospitalization, and the indirect costs from loss of income or time away from family.
Safeguard effective antibiotics: What you can do
Using antibiotics too often or incorrectly is a major cause of the increase in resistant bacteria. Here are some things you can do to promote proper use of antibiotics:
- Understand when antibiotics should be used. Don't expect to take antibiotics every time you're sick. Antibiotics are effective in treating most bacterial infections, but they're not useful against viral infections, such as colds, acute bronchitis, or the flu. And even some common bacterial ailments, such as mild ear infections, don't benefit much from antibiotics.
- Don't pressure your doctor for antibiotics if you have a viral illness. Instead, talk with your doctor about ways to relieve the symptoms of your viral illness — a saline nasal spray to clear a stuffy nose, for instance, or a mixture of warm water, lemon and honey to temporarily soothe a sore throat.
- Take antibiotics exactly as prescribed. Follow your doctor's instructions when taking prescribed medication, including how many times a day and for how long. Never stop treatment a few days early if you start feeling better — a complete course of antibiotics is needed to kill all of the harmful bacteria. A shortened course of antibiotics, on the other hand, often wipes out only the most vulnerable bacteria, while allowing relatively resistant bacteria to survive.
- Never take antibiotics without a prescription. If you didn't complete a full course of antibiotics, you might be tempted to use the leftover medication the next time you get sick or to pass it along to someone else. But this isn't a good idea. For one thing, the antibiotic might not be appropriate for a future illness. And even if it is, you're not likely to have enough pills to combat the germs making you sick, which can lead to more resistant bacteria.
- Protect yourself from infection in the first place. Good hygiene can go a long way in preventing infection. Wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water, especially after using the toilet, changing a diaper or handling raw meat or poultry. Keep food preparation areas clean. Although antibacterial cleaners and soap are widely available, they aren't necessary. Plain soap and water works fine to kill germs in most settings.
The scope of your responsibility
Antibiotic resistance is a pressing, global health problem. Nearly all significant bacterial infections in the world are becoming resistant to commonly used antibiotics. When you abuse antibiotics, the resistant microorganisms that you help create can become widely established, causing new and hard-to-treat infections. That's why the decisions you make about antibiotic use — unlike almost any other medicine you take — extend far beyond your reach. Responsible antibiotic use protects the health of your family, neighbors and ultimately the global community.
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