Medical Encyclopaedia
Check out the A to Z guide of medical conditions. Read up about the most common medical conditions, their symptoms and find out what treatment and support is available.
D
DiabetesAntibiotics
Introducton:
An antibiotic is a prescribed medicine that kills bacteria which cause infections inside and outside the body.
Penicillin, the first antibiotic medicine, was introduced in the 1940s to fight bacterial infections. Since then many more types of antibiotics have become available, with different types effective against different kinds of bacteria.
Anti-bacterial antibiotics are categorised based on what bacteria they kill. Narrow-spectrum antibiotics kill special types of bacteria, while broad-spectrum antibiotics affect a wide range of bacteria.
Antibiotics have revolutionised the world of medicine, and many people may not have survived dangerous infections, such as pneumonia and septicaemia, without them.
Antibiotics do not, however, have any effect on viruses, which explains why they don't work when you have a cold.
How do I take antibiotics?
Some antibiotics are simply taken by mouth, while intravenous antibiotics are used in more serious cases, such as deep-seated systemic infections, and are put directly in a vein in the arm. Antibiotics may also sometimes be administered topically, as with eye drops or ointments.
Bacterial resistance
Due to common use and over-prescribing, however, a growing number of bacteria are becoming resistant to some types of antibiotics. This means that some antibiotic drugs don't kill the bacteria anymore. MRSA, for example, are a well known antibiotic-resistant form of bacteria, as is Clostridium difficile. Both bacteria can kill.
What can I do to prevent resistance?
There are steps you can take to help slow down the development of antibiotic resistance. Only use antibiotics when absolutely necessary, and make sure you finish the entire course of medicine, to ensure no bacteria survive to develop a resistance.
Side-effects
Antibiotics can have side effects, such stomach upsets, diarrhoea and thrush. More rarely they can cause colitis – inflammation of the large intestine – and allergies, including a severe reaction called anaphylactic shock, which can kill.
Certain antibiotics should not be taken with alcohol as unpleasant reactions can occur.
Clickthrough information and support links:
Antibiotic resistance (Department of Health)
References:This article has been written for PruHealth by Dr Foster Research. All Dr Foster Research (DFR) health content is provided for general information only, and should not be treated as a substitute for the medical advice of your own doctor or any other health care professional.
Share this story
See how much our health insurance could cost you
Find out about PruHealth or get an instant quote.
