ANTIBIOTIC ABUSES

MISHANDLING OF ANTIBIOTICS 

Antibiotics are magic drugs in destroying, killing, and disrupting the microbial life and structure in curing the diseases. There are different types of antibiotics working in different ways. Chemically and pharmacologically differing from each other.

Misuses such as self medications with antibiotics may be fatal and injurious to your health.

Some antibiotics like penicillins inhibit the cell wall synthesis of not only bacterial cells but sometimes on mishandling they may affect your own body cells including the blood cells (e.g) penicillins, ampicillin, amoxicillin, vancomycin, and cyclosporins.

Some antibiotics like chloramphenicol, lincosamides, macrolides such as erythromycin, clarithromycin, azithromycin, are attacking bacterias, by inhibiting their cell protein synthesis through disrupting their ribosomes (the 50S unit) 

Some antibiotics like aminoglycosides(gentamycin, tobramycin, amikacin, streptomycin, and neomycin), and tetracyclines(oxytetracycline) are also inhibiting cell protein synthesis by disrupting cell ribosomes (the 30S unit). But the human cells have cell ribosomes differently from the 70S and 40S units. Nevertheless on the mishandling of these antibiotics may rarely kill human ribosomes too.

Sulphonamides disrupt folic acid synthesis in bacteria by inhibiting the enzyme dihydropteroate synthase and thereby killing the bacteria. Of course, human cells are spared as they get folic acid from the food. But still, it may affect the human cell protein synthesis if it is mishandled. There are many results of blood dyscrasias by the mishandling and overuse of chloramphenicol.

Antibiotic abuses are common among those who are illiterate and careless about their health.

Even educated people to mishandle antibiotics or any other drug because of their overconfidence and unawareness about medicines. Many people whether they are educated or non-educated skipping proper medical diagnoses to find out what type of infection or disease they have.  This may result in self-medication which will lead to mishandling and improper use of the drug. Drug overuse or abuse may harm your health.

For example, if you start to use an antibiotic, it should be consumed with its correct daily dosage, for a minimum course of time. If you stop without completing the course, the infection may relapse with more virulence and the same antibiotic might be overpowered by the bacteria. (see figure above)

It is better if you are above 70 years, to go to a good medical practitioner, who would study your past and present body conditions to prescribe proper medication.

Taking antibiotics too frequently can produce bacterial resistance to that antibiotic. Some bacterias are resistant to even more powerful antibiotics available now.

Types of Inappropriate Uses of Antibiotics:-

1.Non prescription use of antibiotics

This is due to the lack of knowledge and overconfidence in using antibiotics without a prescription from a doctor. Going directly to the pharmacy counter and demanding a particular antibiotic by name or left to the choice of a counter salesman.

2.Use of leftover antibiotics

This is more dangerous as the individual uses whatever antibiotic leftover in the house by other family members for a similar or different infection.

3.Use of prescribed antibiotics for a cause other than it was prescribed for.

4.Frequent uses of antibiotics

5.Overprscription

Some doctors overprescribe antibiotics in the due course when they are not sure if an illness is caused by bacteria or viruses and are waiting for the lab report. 

Dangers of antibiotics overuse:

strep throat is due to bacterial infection. But many times common cold and sore throat are viral infections that are wrongly diagnosed by some doctors as bacterial strep throat infections and antibiotics are prescribed for them which are not actually needed. This unnecessary and overuse of antibiotics can cause the development of more resistant bacterias such as pneumococcal bacterias that cause pneumonia, ear infections, and meningitis.

Superinfection:-

A second infection followed by the antibiotic treatment of a first infection which is due to the presence of a virulent second bacteria which acquired resistance to the antibiotic prescribed for the first infection.

(e.g):-1. Overgrowth of Clostridium difficile occurs during the use of broadspectrum antibiotics such as Tetracyclines.

Overgrowth of C.difficile also occurs due to Pneumococcal pneumonia, or sepsis due to Pseudomonas aeroginosa in AIDS patients

Other superinfections are due to, 

2.Multi Drug-Resistant (MDR) bacterial infections.

These are the current threats to public health. These are due to the careless use of many antibiotics without proper guidance and ideas by healthcare professionals. Hence it is a hospital-acquired infection. (e.g): Staphylococcus aureus (in the blood); Pseudomonas aeruginosa (In babies)

3. Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus (MRSA)  -Improper and insufficient consumption of methicillin causes this condition.                 

4.Candida and other fungal infections. 

Antibiotic Toxicity:-       

1.Liver:- Many commonly used antibiotics such as amoxicillin, cloxacillin, flucloxacillin, erythromycin, ciprofloxacin, cotrimoxazole, doxycycline, and many oral and natural penicillins rarely but definitely (1 to 17 in 10000 to 100000 patients) cause liver injuries, such as bile obstacle(cholestasis) or liver cell necrosis (hepatocellular) or both.

For example, flucloxacillin mostly causes cholestasis while amoxicillin with clavulanic acid can cause both cholestasis and cell necrosis.

2.Kidneys:- Aminoglycosides such as gentamicin, tobramycin, streptomycin, and amikacin are commonly known to cause kidney injuries. Other drugs such as kanamycin, neomycin, polymyxin-B, and amphotericin-B also cause serious kidney injuries if used improperly.

Heavy and too frequent uses of amoxicillin can cause kidney damage such as crystalluria.

3.Digestive System:-  Even gentle to your stomach and digestive system most of the antibiotics are disrupting and destroying the system friendly bacterial flora of the digestive system.

To prevent this eat more fruits before and after antibiotic use such as,

1.Bananaa

2.Berries

3.Beans

4.Broccoli

5.Lentiles

6.Nuts

7.Peas.

4.Pancreas:- Acute pancreatitis can be precipitated on improper use of tetracyclines, and metronidazole which is used in the Helicobacter pylori recipe.

5.Cardioascular Diseases

Many antibiotics can alter your B.P and heart rate including amoxicillin which is the mild causative.

Arrhythmias and increased heart rate are common with the improper use of many antibiotics.

 Common Side Effects of some commonly used antibiotics:-

1.Nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, bloating, indigestion.

2.Vaginal itching and fluid discharge.

3.Headache

4.Rash

6.Swollen, black and hairy tongue.

Amoxicillin should not be used along with blood thinners such as aspirin, clopidogrel, or warfarin.

Amoxicillin should not be taken by those who have diarrhea especially due to C.difficile, Epstein-Barr virus (the kissing disease or mononucleosis characterized by peripheral elevated levels of lymphocytes with symptoms of cough, fatigue, and malaise), and liver diseases.