Common Misconceptions about Antimicrobial Use

Many people make some common mistakes when taking medicine, the most prominent of which is the abuse of antibiotics. For example, some people will use antibiotics immediately once they catch a cold. It is estimated that about 75% of outpatient cold patients in my country will use antibiotics. In fact, viruses or bacteria can cause colds, which are viral colds and bacterial colds respectively. Antibiotics are only effective against bacterial colds. The following are some misunderstandings in the use of antibiotics:

Myth 1: Use antibiotics for colds. Colds can be caused by viruses or bacteria. Colds caused by viruses are viral colds, and colds caused by bacteria are bacterial colds. Antibiotics are only effective for bacterial colds. In fact, many colds are viral colds. Strictly speaking, there is no effective medicine for viral colds. It is just symptomatic treatment, and there is no need to use antibiotics. Everyone may have had this experience. After catching a cold, you habitually buy some cold medicine at the pharmacy and add some antibiotics to use. In fact, antibiotics are useless at this time. It is a waste and abuse.

Myth 2: Use antibiotics for fever Antibiotics are only suitable for inflammatory fever caused by bacteria and some other microorganisms. It is harmful and useless to give antibiotics to patients with viral colds, measles, mumps, colds, influenza, etc. Pharyngitis and upper respiratory tract infections are mostly caused by viruses, and antibiotics are ineffective. In addition, even fever caused by bacterial infection has many different types, and cephalosporins and other antibiotics cannot be used blindly. For example, fever caused by tuberculosis, if you blindly use antibiotics and delay regular anti-tuberculosis treatment, it will delay the condition. It is best to use the medicine under the guidance of a doctor and pharmacist.

Myth 3: Frequently changing antibiotics. The efficacy of antibiotics has a cycle (3-7 days). If the efficacy of a certain antibiotic is temporarily poor, the first thing to consider is that the medication time is insufficient. In addition, factors such as improper administration routes and the immune function of the whole body can also affect the efficacy of antibiotics. If these factors are related, the efficacy will be improved as long as they are adjusted. Frequently changing antibiotics can easily make bacteria resistant to multiple drugs.

Misconception 4: Stop taking the medicine once it is effective. As we know, there is a cycle for the use of antibiotics. If the medication is not used for a long enough time, there may be no effect at all; even if it is effective, it should be taken for the required period under the guidance of a doctor. If the medication is stopped as soon as it has a little effect, not only will the disease not be cured, but even if the condition has improved, it may rebound due to residual bacteria.

Myth 5: Antibacterial drugs = anti-inflammatory drugs Antibacterial drugs do not directly target inflammation, but kill the microorganisms that cause inflammation. Anti-inflammatory drugs target inflammation, such as commonly used anti-inflammatory analgesics such as aspirin.

Myth 6: Antimicrobial drugs can prevent all infections. Antimicrobial drugs are only suitable for inflammation caused by bacteria and some other microorganisms. Antimicrobial drugs target the microorganisms that cause inflammation and kill them. They have no effect in preventing infection. On the contrary, long-term use of antimicrobial drugs can cause bacterial resistance and even cause bacterial flora disorders and fungal infections.

Myth 7: Antimicrobial combination therapy is effective. Generally speaking, it is not recommended to use antibiotics in combination. This is because combined use of drugs can increase some unreasonable factors in drug use, which not only cannot increase the efficacy, but reduces the efficacy, and is prone to produce some toxic side effects, or bacterial resistance to drugs. Therefore, the more types of combined drugs are used, the higher the incidence of toxic side effects and adverse reactions caused by them. Generally speaking, in order to avoid the occurrence of drug resistance and toxic side effects, two antibiotics should never be used to solve a problem that can be solved with one.

Myth 8: The more expensive the antibiotic, the better. In fact, each antibiotic has its own characteristics, and its advantages and disadvantages are different. Generally, it should be selected according to the disease and the person, and individualized medication should be adhered to. For example, erythromycin belongs to the macrolide antibiotics, which are very cheap. It has a very good effect on pneumonia caused by Legionella and mycoplasma infection, while the very expensive carbapenem antibiotics and third-generation cephalosporins are not as effective as erythromycin in treating these diseases. Moreover, some old drugs have relatively stable efficacy, low price, and clear adverse reactions. On the other hand, the birth of new antibiotics is often due to the resistance of old antibiotics. If the old antibiotics are effective, the old antibiotics should be used.

Popular Science Doctor: Wang Hongjie

Work scope: Henan Province Pingyu County Maternal and Child Health Hospital