The Role, Importance, Benefits, and Potential Hazards of Using Antibiotics
Antibiotics are powerful medicines usually prescribed to destroy or retard bacterial growth. Your physician may prescribe antibiotics for treating bacterial infections. Antibiotics are instrumental in killing or destroying bacteria and stopping them from multiplying. You may use antibiotics when prescribed by your doctor. They help treat infections. They are extremely versatile and have the power to save lives, provided you use antibiotics properly and take the recommended dosage. However, antibiotics are not recommended for treating viral infections like flu, cough, and cold.
You may develop resistance to certain antibiotics. According to CDC or Centers for Disease Control & Prevention, antibiotic resistance can be considered one of the most urgent, and critical threats to the well-being and health of the public in general. Antibiotic resistance is one of the potential hazards of antibiotic usage, and it may occur when germs such as fungi and bacteria become powerful enough to defeat the medications designed for killing them. It implies that antibiotics become ineffective against certain germs that continue to survive and go on multiply. People living in the United States encounter over 2.8 million cases of antibiotic-resistant infections every year, and over 35,000 Americans lose their lives as a result.
The Role of Antibiotics in Revolutionizing Modern Medicine
The greatest breakthrough in the medical world came when antibiotics began to be used for treating medical conditions. Besides, treating infectious diseases, we understand that antibiotics played a pivotal role in making several contemporary clinical procedures possible, including organ transplants, open-heart surgery, and cancer treatment. We cannot ignore or undermine the fact that antibiotics revolutionized modern medicine. However, antibiotic misuse has culminated in AMR or Antimicrobial Resistance.
Over the years, antibiotics have been successful in combat and providing solid defense against a wide range of infections and diseases. They have played a pivotal role in saving countless lives since the 1940s. Antibiotics have successfully prevented and cured numerous severe to mild diseases by destroying bacteria and stopping their further multiplication. However, there have been several occasions when antibiotics failed to work and seemed hazardous to your health. Antibiotic resistance is dependent on crucial factors such as the type of virus or illness you have, the severity of the condition, and the specific drugs in use for treating the condition. Let us explore some benefits and hazards of using antibiotics in modern medicine.
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Benefits of Using Antibiotics
- Extremely High Efficacy: Antibiotics are highly effective in treating and curing numerous diseases and infections, including extremely complicated cases.
- Affordable: Antibiotics are not exorbitantly priced. They do not burn a hole in your pocket. Thanks to the low-cost treatment, antibiotics are popular among patients from all sections of society. Doctors prescribe antibiotics and include them in their line of treatment because of their efficacy and reasonable pricing.
- Helps Avoid Surgical Intervention in Some Cases: Antibiotics are powerful enough to cure serious health issues and even prevent clinical conditions from getting worse or more complicated
- Best Protection against Infection in Surgical Cases: In the case of surgical intervention, many instruments and tools are used. Moreover, incisions are necessary and that may increase the risks of getting infections. You may use prescribed antibiotics to reduce the risk of infection.
- Excellent Way of Preventing Diseases from Progressing: You may take antibiotics to minimize the risks of developing infections or stop the condition from getting worse or more complicated. For instance, when doctors start antibiotics timely, they help to prevent the common cold from getting aggravated and leading to pneumonia.
Potential Hazards of Having Antibiotics
- Susceptible to Resistance: Due to over-usage, antibiotics may lose their efficacy and the bacteria concerned may soon develop a resistance to the antibiotic.
- Develop Allergic Reactions: You may develop mild allergic reactions, however, in rare cases; allergic reactions can be precarious and severe. Fever and nausea are mild allergic reactions to antibiotics in some cases.
Conclusion
Taking antibiotics to treat diseases and illnesses may have benefits and potential hazards. However, it is a good idea to consult your family physician before starting an antibiotic course for determining the perfect line of treatment for your condition.
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