Don't use antibiotics unnecessarily

The development of antibiotics was one of the most important advances in medicine. Many people had died by some bacteria induce disease such as tuberculosis because of no effective treatment. Now it becomes treatable with antibiotics.

Antibiotics are subgroup of anti-infective derived from bacterial sources and are used to treat or prevent the bacterial infections. Abuse or misuse of antibiotics make difficult to get good treatment. It is very important to improve the people’s knowledge about antibiotics.

• Antibiotics should not be taken by the patients without prescription.
• Patients must complete a prescribed course of treatment; otherwise the probability of drug-resistant strains of organisms will be increased.
• The common psychology of some patients is to stop antibiotics if they feel better. But it is needed to continue taking antibiotic as the doctor has prescribed; otherwise you become sick again because of some dangerous alive bacteria.
• If the disease is caused by viruses, antibiotics will not be intended to cure disease.
• Action of antibiotics against specific disease will be reduced or stopped due to abuse or misuse of it.
• Resistant alive bacteria are more dangerous and cause infection has become more difficult to treat.
• Antibiotic must be taken on time. Irregular administration of antibiotic allows multiplying bacteria and increasing the problems. Patients should maintain the correct time to take antibiotic by setting Antibiotic Reminder alarm.
• Patient should not take antibiotic following prescription used by another person even in same diseases.
• Antibiotics can interact with other medicine, even with foods and drinks. So patients should carry his/her previous prescription when s/he meets with doctor or pharmacist. Patients should tell the doctor if they feel something wrong after taking antibiotics.
• Patients need to avoid drinking alcohol while taking antibiotics.
• If patients have developed any type of allergic reaction to any antibiotic in the past, they should tell the doctor or pharmacist to avoid same kind of antibiotic.

The write-up is compiled by Amit Sarker, Dpt of Pharmacy, Primeasia University, Dhaka.

E-mail: amit.pharmacy30@gmail.com