With the advent of technology like internet, now a days it is very easy to get access to information. To read about illnesses and medicines is possible which may be considered good in some ways and bad in other ways.
With regards to preventive medicine, internet forms a great tool. However with regards to diagnosis and treatment, internet is sometimes being misused. There are many cases of self-diagnosis and treatment which is not safe. Many medicines are being misused or abused and one such group of medicines are the Antibiotics.
To be able to understand the importance of use of antibiotics, we must know what they are. Antibiotics, also known as antimicrobial drugs, are drugs that fight infections caused by bacteria in both humans and animals. Antibiotics fight these infections either by killing the bacteria or making it difficult for the bacteria to grow and multiply. Antibiotics do not have any effect on viruses.
Antibiotic / Antimicrobial resistance is the ability of microbes to resist the effects of drugs that is, the germs are not killed, and their growth is not stopped. Antibiotic resistance has been called one of the world’s most pressing public health problems. Almost every type of bacteria has become stronger and less responsive to antibiotic treatment when it is really needed. It is very important to know how antibiotic resistance develops and how we, as a community can avoid it-
- Simply using antibiotics or over use of antibiotics creates resistance. These drugs should only be used to manage infections under the guidance of a medical doctor. Self-prescription should be avoided.
- Avoid using antibiotic prescription of previous doctor’s visit repetitively.
- Not finishing the entire antibiotic course- A course of antibiotic is carefully planned by a doctor based on the suspected organism and the effects that it is showing. Not completing the antibiotic course as advised by doctor and no follow up give the organism optimum opportunity to develop resistance.
- Never demand antibiotics if your health worker says you don’t need them.
- Never share or use leftover antibiotics.
- Prevent infections by regularly washing hands, preparing food hygienically, avoiding close contact with sick people, practicing safer sex, and keeping vaccinations up to date
The already discovered antibiotics are not less than a huge treasure. We have reached a point where in we need to preserve them by using them carefully only under the prescription of medical professionals and remember that if used inappropriately, we may run out of them and then be left vulnerable to highly dangerous organisms.