Antibiotics fight bacterial infections quickly and effectively. However, the potency of antibiotics may diminish if we do not follow the rules on their use. Check if you know the rules for the safe use of antibiotics.

Antibioticsare drugs used in the treatment of bacterial (and sometimes fungal) infections. They kill bacteria or inhibit their growth and division. They do not destroy flu and cold viruses.

Do not stop using the antibiotic before the end of the treatment

Do not try to force the doctor to prescribe antibiotics or treat ourselves with them, using the remnants of unused medicine. Unjustified, too frequent use of them promotes bacterial mutations. New strains are emerging that can protect themselves against this type of pharmaceuticals. They are resistant to their action, i.e. insensitive. Unauthorized discontinuation of treatment also contributes to the increase in resistance.

Antibiotics make you feel better quickly, so some patients stop taking them when they feel better. This is a huge mistake! Some bacteria survive, which can cause the disease to relapse and increase the resistance of the bacteria to the antibiotic. Giving it a second time will not work. The same effect is achieved by reducing the doses of the drug.

Rules for the use of antibiotics:

1. Take the medication at intervals and doses prescribed by your doctor.

It is important to maintain a constant concentration of the antibiotic in the blood. You can be late about an hour after taking the drug. If you remember about the next dose after a long time, skip it.

2. Wash the tablets and capsules with water.

Citrus juices, milk, milk and caffeine drinks can reduce antibiotic absorption by up to half. Certain foods can also affect the absorption of the antibiotic, so it's usually taken one hour before or two hours after a meal.

3. Tell your doctor what medications you are taking.

Even herbal preparations can interact with antibiotics, influencing their potency.

4. Do not drink alcohol during the treatment, as it weakens the effect of the drug and increases the risk of side effects.

The antibiotic combined with alcohol can cause, among others, increase in blood pressure,increased heart rate, shortness of breath, headache.

5. Use probiotics shielding.

Antibiotics destroy the strains of lactic acid bacteria that are part of the bacterial flora of the gastrointestinal tract. They are a barrier to pathogenic microorganisms. Therefore, it is worth supplementing their amount by taking probiotics.

Patients try to force doctors to prescribe antibiotics for them. Improper use may lead to drug resistance

Doctors realize that an antibiotic should be prescribed as a "last resort" drug. More than half of the patients, however, try to force them to write out such a prescription, because they believe that a stronger preparation will shorten the duration of the disease, and thus they will return to their duties faster.

Source: Lifestyle.newseria.pl

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