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AntibioticsPublished by BUPA's health information team, healthinfo@bupa.com, February 2007. This factsheet is for people who would like information about taking antibiotics. Antibiotics are used to treat infections caused by bacteria. The very first antibiotic discovered was penicillin, and it's still widely used to treat many common infections. Now there are several other kinds of antibiotics. In the UK, antibiotics are only available on prescription from a doctor or a dentist.
Why would I take antibiotics?You may take an antibiotic to treat an infection that is caused by bacteria. Common illnesses caused by bacteria include impetigo (a skin infection), tonsillitis (inflammation of the tonsils), pneumonia, salmonella (food poisoning) and syphilis (a sexually transmitted infection). Other infectious illnesses are not caused by bacteria but by viruses or other micro-organisms. Viruses can cause flu, measles, mumps and hepatitis. If you are having an operation, you may be given antibiotics to prevent an infection. This is known as prophylaxis and is especially common before surgery to repair broken bones and joints, and before bowel surgery. What are the main types of antibiotics?Some antibiotics can be used to treat a wide range of bacterial infections and are known as "broad spectrum" antibiotics. Examples include amoxicillin and cefotaxime. Some antibiotics work against bacteria that need oxygen to live (aerobic bacteria), such as those that can infect the skin. Other antibiotics work against bacteria that don't need oxygen and can multiply inside the body where there is no oxygen available (anaerobic bacteria). How do antibiotics work?Some antibiotics, such as penicillin, are bacteriocidal. This means that they kill bacteria. They usually do this by interrupting the chemical processes that the bacteria use to make their cell walls. Other antibiotics are described as bacteriostatic. This means that they work by stopping bacteria from growing and multiplying. Most bacteria don't live long, so the colony of bacteria eventually dies out. How to take antibioticsIf you take too many antibiotics or take them too often, this can lead to bacteria becoming resistant to them (see Resistance). So it's important to take them only when really necessary and only for as long as your doctor recommends. Antibiotics usually come as tablets or syrup for children (the medical term for these is oral antibiotics). Antibiotics can also be given by injection, or applied to the affected part of the body such as the skin, eyes or ears as drops, lotion or ointment (also known as topical antibiotics). Some antibiotics shouldn't be taken with certain foods and drinks. Others are best taken when there is no food in your stomach, usually an hour before meals or two hours after. Make sure you follow the instructions on the label or patient information leaflet. It is important not to drink any alcohol if you are taking the antibiotic metronidazole (Flagyl), as it can make you feel very sick. Don't take tetracycline antibiotics, such as Deteclo, with milk, as they can reduce the absorption of this type of antibiotic. Always read the patient information leaflet that comes with your medicine. Special careYou should speak to your doctor before taking an antibiotic if you know you have reduced liver or kidney function. Tell your doctor or pharmacist if you are pregnant or breastfeeding before taking any antibiotic. Side-effects of antibioticsThe most common side-effects with antibiotics are diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting. Often you may get no obvious side-effects from anibiotics. After treatment with broad spectrum antibiotics, you may get a fungal infection such as thrush. This is because antibiotics may destroy your body's harmless bacteria that help to control overgrowth of things like fungi, as well as the "bad" bacteria responsible for the infection being treated. Rare, but more serious side-effects of antibiotics include kidney problems, abnormal blood clotting, increased sensitivity to the sun, blood disorders and deafness. AllergiesSome people are allergic to antibiotics, particularly penicillin and similar medicines such as cephalosporins. They can develop side-effects such as a rash, swelling of the face and tongue, and difficulty breathing when they take antibiotics. This is called an anaphylactic reaction and it can be serious or even fatal. As an alternative to penicillin, doctors often prescribe erythromycin, an antibiotics that works against the same types of infections. Always tell your doctor or pharmacist if you have had an allergic reaction to an antibiotic. Interactions with other medicines
Resistance to antibioticsSome infections are resistant to certain antibiotics. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is an example of an infection that can't be treated with standard antibiotics. For more information, please see Related topics. Resistance can start when the bacteria causing an infection are not completely killed off by the antibiotics. The few bacteria that have survived treatment with the antibiotic (because of a genetic mutation) are then able to grow into an infection that can survive that particular antibiotic. It's a form of natural selection for bacteria. This is why it's important to finish the course of antibiotics, even if you feel better. Names of common antibioticsExamples of the main types of antibiotics are shown in the table. The generic name is the chemical name of a medicine. If a manufacturer has rights over a medicinal compound, it is given a brand name. Often there is more than one brand name associated with a generic name. Generic names are normally written with a lower-case initial letter and brand names normally start with an upper-case letter.
Related topics
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