Are antibiotics overprescribed? Many people around the world are victims of bacterial antibiotic resistance. This is a result of doctors overprescribing antibiotics when unnecessary. Many antibiotics are prescribed for illnesses that caused by viruses. Doctors grab their prescription pad, when symptoms of common infection are shown in their patients, as there is no accurate diagnostic testing for bacterial infections. Bacteria become resistant to antibiotics through overexposure. On the other hand many people believe that the prescribing of antibiotics is important. It keeps the disease at bay and ensures a healthy population. (Anon, 2016)
Antibiotics are substances that kill bacteria or stop their growth. They don’t work against viruses, as viruses live and reproduce inside cells. Penicillin was the first antibiotic discovered in 1928 by Alexander Fleming. (American Chemical Society, 2016)
Alexander observed that some bacteria he had left in a Petri dish had been killed by naturally occurring Penicillium mould. From the discovery of penicillin, other antibiotics have been discovered and developed. (Nhs.uk, 2016) Antibiotics all work in different ways. It is crucial that a specific bacterium is treated with the necessary antibiotic. Antibiotic resistance, which is caused because of natural selection, happens as bacterial strains develop resistance to antibiotics. Studies have shown that 70% of children have at least received one type of antibiotic since birth. "Antibiotics not only kill off the organisms causing the infection but will also affect all the bacteria in the gut and all the other places where you find normal, important bacteria that are important for health," Gilbert says. (Corporation, 2015) The overexposure to antibiotics causes strains of bacteria to survive the exposure and pass on their resistance trait. Ultimately, only resistant bacteria remain as the antibiotic wipes out all vulnerable bacteria. Antibiotic use should not be stopped, but should rather be reduced in cases where they are unnecessary. (Foundation, 2016) If a patient suffers from a sore throat that is not strep throat, the wise decision would be not to prescribe antibiotic and use other forms of medication, like Strepsils or Butter Menthol. Many people don’t understand that viruses are not treated with antibiotics, which then results in overprescribing of antibiotics. Doctors prescribe antibiotics just to be on the safe side. Pneumonia, which is caused commonly caused by bacteria, looks awfully similar to common colds that are caused by a virus. The doctor …show more content…
Antibiotics have a major contribution to human health. Many diseases that once killed people can now be treated effectively with antibiotics. Another benefit of antibiotics is that they are cost effective. Antibiotics reduce bacteria causing the infection to a point where your own immune cells can then fight them off. Your immune system is the one that always gets rid of an infection. (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015) Antibiotics are just a helping hand. Antibiotics have saved more lives since the early 1900’s than almost any other medication. (HealthyChildren.org, 2016)
It can be observed that antibiotics have several benefits and disadvantages. They’re quite effective, reducing the number of absenteeism from school and work but also the overexposure to antibiotics causes strains of bacteria to survive the exposure and pass on their resistance trait. Therefore the suitable solution would to reduce inappropriate antibiotic use in patients and prescribe when absolutely
Antibiotics are substances that kill bacteria or stop their growth. They don’t work against viruses, as viruses live and reproduce inside cells. Penicillin was the first antibiotic discovered in 1928 by Alexander Fleming. (American Chemical Society, 2016)
Alexander observed that some bacteria he had left in a Petri dish had been killed by naturally occurring Penicillium mould. From the discovery of penicillin, other antibiotics have been discovered and developed. (Nhs.uk, 2016) Antibiotics all work in different ways. It is crucial that a specific bacterium is treated with the necessary antibiotic. Antibiotic resistance, which is caused because of natural selection, happens as bacterial strains develop resistance to antibiotics. Studies have shown that 70% of children have at least received one type of antibiotic since birth. "Antibiotics not only kill off the organisms causing the infection but will also affect all the bacteria in the gut and all the other places where you find normal, important bacteria that are important for health," Gilbert says. (Corporation, 2015) The overexposure to antibiotics causes strains of bacteria to survive the exposure and pass on their resistance trait. Ultimately, only resistant bacteria remain as the antibiotic wipes out all vulnerable bacteria. Antibiotic use should not be stopped, but should rather be reduced in cases where they are unnecessary. (Foundation, 2016) If a patient suffers from a sore throat that is not strep throat, the wise decision would be not to prescribe antibiotic and use other forms of medication, like Strepsils or Butter Menthol. Many people don’t understand that viruses are not treated with antibiotics, which then results in overprescribing of antibiotics. Doctors prescribe antibiotics just to be on the safe side. Pneumonia, which is caused commonly caused by bacteria, looks awfully similar to common colds that are caused by a virus. The doctor …show more content…
Antibiotics have a major contribution to human health. Many diseases that once killed people can now be treated effectively with antibiotics. Another benefit of antibiotics is that they are cost effective. Antibiotics reduce bacteria causing the infection to a point where your own immune cells can then fight them off. Your immune system is the one that always gets rid of an infection. (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, 2015) Antibiotics are just a helping hand. Antibiotics have saved more lives since the early 1900’s than almost any other medication. (HealthyChildren.org, 2016)
It can be observed that antibiotics have several benefits and disadvantages. They’re quite effective, reducing the number of absenteeism from school and work but also the overexposure to antibiotics causes strains of bacteria to survive the exposure and pass on their resistance trait. Therefore the suitable solution would to reduce inappropriate antibiotic use in patients and prescribe when absolutely