In the medical field, antibacterial drugs are undoubtedly an important weapon against bacterial infection. However, due to the lack of understanding of antibacterial drugs, people often fall into some common misunderstandings, which may not only affect the therapeutic effect, but also pose a potential threat to health.
Mistake 1: Antibiotics as a “panacea”
Many people believe that antibiotics should be used as long as there is discomfort in the body, especially fever, cough, sore throat and other symptoms. This concept is extremely wrong. Antibacterial drugs are mainly used for bacterial infections, while most diseases caused by viruses, such as common cold and influenza, are ineffective. Viruses and bacteria have very different biological characteristics, and antibacterial drugs can not work on viruses. If antibiotics are used blindly to treat viral diseases, not only can disease not be cured, but also the normal balance of microbial communities in the body may be destroyed, leading to the emergence of drug-resistant bacteria.
Mistake 2: Increase or decrease the dosage
of antibacterial drugs at will
When
some people use antibacterial drugs, they feel that the condition is serious and increase the dosage on their own, hoping to recover faster; when the symptoms are slightly relieved, they reduce the dosage on their own or stop taking the drugs in advance. This practice is very dangerous. The dosage of antibiotics is determined by rigorous clinical trials and scientific research. Insufficient dosage may fail to kill bacteria effectively, leading to treatment failure and bacterial resistance, while excessive use may increase the side effects of drugs and cause damage to liver, kidney and other organs.
Mistake 3: Frequent replacement of antibiotics
After one or two days of using an antibacterial drug,
some patients found that their symptoms had not improved significantly, so they urgently asked the doctor to change the drug. In fact, it takes some time for antibiotics to exert their efficacy, and it usually takes 2-3 days to evaluate their efficacy. Frequent replacement of drugs is not only difficult to achieve effective blood concentration, but also may lead to drug interactions and increase the risk of adverse reactions.
Mistake 4: Use multiple antibacterial drugs
at the same time
Some people believe that the use of multiple antimicrobial drugs at the same time can enhance the efficacy and eliminate germs faster. However, this approach is not always correct. Unreasonable combination of drugs may lead to antagonism between drugs and reduce the efficacy. Moreover, the simultaneous use of multiple drugs will increase the incidence of adverse drug reactions and increase the burden on the body.
Mistake 5: Over-reliance on imported or new antibacterial drugs
Many people think that imported or new antibacterial drugs must be better than domestic or traditional drugs. In fact, the efficacy of antibiotics does not depend on their origin and age, but on whether they can accurately target the infected bacteria. Some traditional antibacterial drugs, which have been proved by long-term clinical practice, may have better efficacy and safety in specific infection situations.
Mistake 6: Do not pay attention to the allergic reaction
of antibacterial drugs
Some people do not pay attention to the doctor’s inquiry about allergic history before using antibiotics, or think that they have not been allergic before, so they will not be allergic this time. However, an allergic reaction can occur at any time, and a severe allergic reaction such as anaphylactic shock can be life-threatening. Therefore, before each use of antibiotics, doctors should be truthfully informed of their allergic history, and closely observe the physical reaction in the course of medication.
Mistake 7: Antibiotics for external use are used for oral administration
at will.
Antibiotics for
external use and oral use are quite different in dosage form, concentration and absorption route. Antibiotics for external use may not be able to achieve effective blood concentration, play a therapeutic role, and may also cause gastrointestinal irritation and other adverse reactions.
In order to avoid falling into these misunderstandings, we should enhance our understanding of antibiotics and follow the doctor’s advice to use antibiotics rationally. When prescribing antibiotics, doctors will take into account the patient’s condition, the types of pathogenic bacteria, the sensitivity of drugs and the individual situation of patients. Patients should strictly follow the medical supervision of medication, do not increase or decrease the dosage, change drugs or stop taking drugs.
Only by correctly understanding and using antibiotics, can we give full play to their therapeutic role, avoid unnecessary risks, and jointly protect the health line of defense.
