There is no doubt that when correctly prescribed and taken as directed, since there introduction in the 1930s, antibiotics have saved millions of lives.
The Downside of Antibiotics -- Misuse and Overuse
Many patients now demand antibiotics for viral infections, against which they do not work. When prescribed for bacterial infections, there is no doubt that antibiotics can save lives. But a survey conducted in 1998-99 by the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network showed that 32 percent of the population thought that antibiotics should be used for colds, and fully half were not aware that antibiotics carry risks. Since colds are caused by viruses, antibiotics do nothing to cure them.
Another downside is that too many doctors cave in those patient demands and prescribe antibiotics when unnecessary.
Even when needed, as with bacterial infections, antibiotics are often not taken long enough by patients to completely kill the bugs, which allows bacteria to build up resistance to the very drugs that should wipe them out.
Enter the new dangerous super-bugs, which continue to grow more resistant to a wider range of antibiotics. There are now a number of bacterial strains that no antibiotic yet discovered can treat.
The Downside of Antibiotics -- Dangers and Side Effects
Antibiotics do indeed have side effects. The worst one is when a person experiences a life-threatening allergic reaction, which requires immediate emergency treatment.
Other side effects include digestive distress, increased sensitivity to sunlight, skin rashes, and although rare, an increased risk of developing a blood clot or kidney stones.
Perhaps even more disturbing are the results of a recent study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine showing the effects on some of the infants born to mothers who had taken sulfa drugs or nitrofurantoins during pregnancy. Birth defects for sulfa drugs ranged from brain diseases to weakened hearts. For those having taken nitrofurantoins there were greater incidents of infants born with smaller than average limbs, cleft palates, and heart problems.
The Downside of Antibiotics -- Misuse and Overuse
Many patients now demand antibiotics for viral infections, against which they do not work. When prescribed for bacterial infections, there is no doubt that antibiotics can save lives. But a survey conducted in 1998-99 by the Foodborne Diseases Active Surveillance Network showed that 32 percent of the population thought that antibiotics should be used for colds, and fully half were not aware that antibiotics carry risks. Since colds are caused by viruses, antibiotics do nothing to cure them.
Another downside is that too many doctors cave in those patient demands and prescribe antibiotics when unnecessary.
Even when needed, as with bacterial infections, antibiotics are often not taken long enough by patients to completely kill the bugs, which allows bacteria to build up resistance to the very drugs that should wipe them out.
Enter the new dangerous super-bugs, which continue to grow more resistant to a wider range of antibiotics. There are now a number of bacterial strains that no antibiotic yet discovered can treat.
The Downside of Antibiotics -- Dangers and Side Effects
Antibiotics do indeed have side effects. The worst one is when a person experiences a life-threatening allergic reaction, which requires immediate emergency treatment.
Other side effects include digestive distress, increased sensitivity to sunlight, skin rashes, and although rare, an increased risk of developing a blood clot or kidney stones.
Perhaps even more disturbing are the results of a recent study published in the Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine showing the effects on some of the infants born to mothers who had taken sulfa drugs or nitrofurantoins during pregnancy. Birth defects for sulfa drugs ranged from brain diseases to weakened hearts. For those having taken nitrofurantoins there were greater incidents of infants born with smaller than average limbs, cleft palates, and heart problems.
Type in Your Comments Below
Karen Chaffee
12/02/2009
You're right, Marlisa...and there are very few meds now that work to fight MRSA. I know someone dear to me that has it. So far; so good, as long as it stays gone.
Marilisa Kinney Sachteleben
12/02/2009
that's what MRSA and the like come from. You nailed this one, girlfriend.
Karen Chaffee
12/01/2009
Right you are, David.
David A. Reinstein, LCSW
12/01/2009
Right you are! Problem has become that many MDs, rather than spending the time it takes to reason with patients, give them antibiotics if they insist - even if the evidence point to a viral infection. In that case, all that happens is that the patient develops a tolerance that renders antibiotics useless if/when they really require them!
Karen Chaffee
11/30/2009
Thank you, Euwyn, and I agree!
Euwyn Pegues
11/30/2009
Some people think their doctors are being slack to not give antibiotics. We need to stop trying to be doctors and listen to what the doctor tells us. Good article.
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