Antibiotics are mainstay of treatment by the general practitioner as well as in emergency department across the world. This is because of its capacity of eradicate the organisms if they are suspect able. Patients feel better quick and regard them as miracle drugs. The results in at times over reliance on the class of drugs when in the cases where these drugs may not even be indicated.
When antibiotics are used in appropriately it leads to increase in the bacterial resistance and then leads to cases where multiple antibiotics are used and still bacterial are hard to eradicate.
Antibiotics are usually given to patients where bacterial infection is suspected it is clinically hard at times to judge accurately if the patient is suffering from bacterial infection or it is due to non bacterial causes. Infections usually results in fever sweating, headache cough, abdominal pain, rash and diarrhea to name a few of those symptoms that bring patients to their doctors. This symptom does not give clue as to the etiology or the cause of the illness. It could be a viral illness bacterial illness or sign of any systemic disease. For the doctors to make the best decisions’ for his patents following points are to be kept in mind.
- Most likely body system involved.
- Most likely organism responsible for the problem i.e. viruses, bacteria,
- Recent pattern of the disease in the community
- Most effective antibiotics for the suspected organism.
- Effective route for the administration of antibiotics.
Although looking cumber sane but with practice the physicians became the bets resource to curb the use of antibiotics when not needed. In appropriately use leads to resistance pattern as well as patients not getting better and staying sick. This can also lead to unnecessary exposure to the risk of side effects. In appropriate use includes.
- Prescribing antibiotics when not indicated
- Using antibiotics which may have no coverage against bacteria that was thought to be responsible.
- Using wrong dose of antibiotics
- Using wrong route
- Using wrong combinations.
I hope that we all care for our patients in best way utilization best judgment as well as keeping in mind patients based factors and community demographics.
I can be reached at erdoc@shifa.com.pk