Antibiotic Use

The discovery of antibiotics is a very important development in world history. With his discovery, an important weapon was obtained against deadly bacteria at that time. Of course, over time, antibiotic use errors led to the emergence of resistant bacteria.

What is antibiotic?

The invention of antibiotics was made in 1829 by the Scottish scientist Sir Alexander Fleming. Penicillin is the first antibiotic developed and is still used today. The word antibiotic means "against life". Antibiotic use, which destroys bacteria by preventing their reproduction, is very common today. There are two different types of antibiotics, narrow and broad spectrum.

Narrow spectrum: It is effective on a single type of bacteria. In targeted therapy, they do not harm beneficial or harmless bacteria in our body. Narrow-spectrum antibiotic use has a mild or no toxic effect on the body.

Broad spectrum: It is a type of antibiotic that is effective on more than one bacteria. It is used for unidentified bacteria or for several different bacteria. Like narrow-spectrum antibiotics, it does not distinguish between beneficial and harmful bacteria. The broad-spectrum antibiotic use destroys all bacteria in body.

Requirements for antibiotic use

Antibiotic use should be decided and followed under the supervision of a doctor. Taking antibiotics without a doctor's prescription does more harm than good. The doctor must first determine whether the infection is bacterial or not. Interpreting the results of the necessary tests, the doctor detects the type of bacteria. And in the light of these examinations, he decides on antibiotic treatment. Knowing the type of bacteria is not enough when detecting the right drug. Age, gender, current health status, medications used, allergies should be questioned.

Proper antibiotic use

Antibiotic treatment is planned individually. It is inevitable that the treatment will differ from patient to patient. In treatment, drug dosage and interval should be applied carefully. Taking medication at the right intervals is critical in the fight against bacteria. Leaving the treatment halfway has very serious effects. In the meantime, even a very small number of inactivated bacteria remain in the body. These bacteria continue to reproduce by gaining resistance to the drug. In this case, even if the drug is taken again, it does not affect the bacteria. The most important principle in antibiotic use is the doctor's prescription.

What to know about antibiotic use

Used in bacterial infections

Pay attention to the doses and intervals determined by the physician.

Probiotic supplementation is needed as it reduces beneficial bacteria in the gut

Detailed dose adjustment should be made for liver and kidney patients.

Being careful in antibiotic use is important for both patients and general public health. Depending on the type, even taking it on an empty or full stomach is important for drug absorption. Failure to fully follow the given treatment leads to ineffectiveness of the drug. In this case, it is inevitable that the disease will spread and affect the society. If treatment is left unfinished, bacteria become resistant to drugs.